HENRY    W.     RANKIN. 


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PRINCETON,  N.  J. 


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Presented    bycM  <Sr^  X^\J\  VAj  .    W  ^ v4  VC  \  no 

BX  614A  .S8  F6  1890 
Stockman,  E.  A.  1821-1901 
Foot-prints  of  angels  in 
fields  of  revelation 


rOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 


^^ 


*     MAR  221910,    * 

FIELDS  OF  REVELAf!< 


E.  A.  STOCKMAN, 


AUTHOR  OP    "OUR   HOPE,"    "THE   RIGHTFUL   RULER  OP   THE   WORLD,* 
"TRANSFIGURATION,"  "JUSTICE   AND   MERCV,"   ETC.,  BTC. 


"The  angel  of  the  Lord  encampeth  round  about  them  that 
fear  him,  and  delivereth  them." — Ps.  34  :  7. 


BOSTON : 

ADVENT  CHEUSTIAN  PUBLICATION  SOCIETY, 

144  Hanover  Strbbt. 

1890. 


COPTKIGHT,  1890, 
BY 

CHAS.  H.  WOODMAN,  Manager. 


PEEFACE. 


For  many  years  the  author  of  this  little  volume 
has  been  deeply  interested  in  the  contemplation  of 
angelic  ministries,  as  constituting  an  important  ele- 
ment in  the  divine  government  of  our  world.  Com- 
mon experience  recognizes  the  phenomena  of  per- 
sonal manifestations  by  beings  not  of  the  human 
race.  It  is  believed  that  the  ministry  of  angels  is 
the  true  and  only  solution  of  such  phenomena. 

The  writer's  purpose,  however,  is  not  to  offer  a 
scientific  analysis  of  the  existence  and  nature  of 
angels,  but  rather  to  exhibit  their  relations  to  men 
in  the  mortal  state  and  their  activity  in  the  work  of 
redemption,  as  revealed  in  the  Sacred  Scriptures. 
And  this  unpretentious  book  is  offered  to  the  Chris- 
tian reader  in  the  hope  that  it  may  enlighten  the 
doubting,  confirm  the  believing,  and  comfort  the 
sorrowing.  e.  a.  s. 


INTEODUCTION. 


That  a  higher  order  of  beings  than  man  exists  somewhere  in 
the  universe  of  God,  called  angels,  is  apparent  from  the  fre- 
quent reference  made  of  them  in  the  Holy  Scriptures.  Of 
their  origin  we  know  but  A'ery  little,  but  they  are  doubtless 
created  intelligences  ;  created  by  God  for  some  wise  and  noble 
purpose.  It  is  thought  by  some  that  angels  are  the  spirits  of 
dead  men ;  but  this  cannot  be  true  since  angels  existed  before 
the  creation  of  man,  and  sang  joyfully  at  the  formation  of  our 
earth.  They  are  a  higher  order  of  beings  than  man,  since 
man  at  his  creation  was  "made  a  little  lower  than  the  angels." 
How  many  there  are  of  these  wonderful  beings  we  know  not, 
but  the  Bible  represents  their  number  as  being  very  great.  In 
Psalms  68:17  we  read,  "The  chariots  of  God  are  twenty 
thousand,  even  thousands  of  angels."  At  the  birth  of  omt 
Saviour,  we  are  told  "there  was  with  the  angel  a  multitude 
of  the  heavenly  host  praising  God,  and  saying.  Glory  to  God 
in  the  highest,  and  on  earth  peace,  good  will  toward  men." 

When  Peter  attempted  the  defence  of  his  Master  with  the 
sword,  Jesus  chided  him,  and  asked  if  he  did  not  know  he 
could  pray  to  his  Father  and  he  would  presently  give  him 
*'more  than  twelve  legions  of  angels."  (Matt.  26  :  53.)  And 
when  Paul  wrote  to  the  Hebrew  church  he  spoke  of  their 
number  as  being  innumerable.     (Heb.  12  :  22.) 

Some  of  these  angels  have  been  seen  by  mortal  eyes.     Seen 


\ 


0 


VI.  INTRODUCTION. 

by  Abraham  as  he  sat  in.  the  door  of  his  tent,  in  the  "plains  of 
Mamre,"  "in  the  heat  of  the  day ;"  by  Jacob,  on  his  way 
home  after  an  absence  of  more  than  twenty  years  in  Padan- 
aran ;  by  Lot  when  they  came  to  hasten  him  from  the 
doomed  city ;  by  David  when  the  angel  came  with  judgment 
upon  Israel  for  their  sin  ;  by  Balaam  when  he  was  pursuing  a 
course  that  God  did  not  approve ;  by  Zacharias  as  he  minis- 
tered at  the  altar  in  the  temple  of  God.  Now  we  might  mul- 
tiply instances  where  these  angels  have  been  seen  by  mortal 
men,  evidently  wearing  the  human  form ;  for  Paul  admon- 
ished the  Hebrew  church  to  entertain  strangers,  for  thereby 
some  had  "entertained  angels  unawares."  How  could  this  be 
if  they  did  not  look  like  men  ?  When  the  angels  appeared  to 
Abraham  he  called  them  men  and  besought  them  to  tarry  with 
him  all  night,  and  had  cake  baked  and  veal  cooked  and  set 
before  them  and  they  did  eat.  And  what  marvel?  We  are 
told  that  the  Israelites  in  eating  the  manna  in  the  wilderness 
did  eat  ^'■angels  foody 

Their  strength  and  knowledge  are  superior  to  man,  so  that 
they  are  called  "mighty  angels"  and  are  said  to  ^'•excel  in 
strejtgt/i'  and  knowledge.  This  wonderful  race  of  intelli- 
gences God  has  been  pleased  to  employ  as  man's  attendants. 
"Are  they  not  all  minisiermg  spirits,  sent  forth  to  minister  for 
them  who  shall  be  heirs  of  salvation?"  How  many  errands  of 
mercy  these  messengers  have  been  sent  on  to  this  world  of 
ours !  In  the  far  off  ages  of  the  past  dispensation  a  poor,  lone, 
forsaken,  disconsolate  woman  was  found  by  an  angel  of  God, 
who  gave  her  counsel  such  as  she  needed  in  her  hour  of  great 
trial.  To  Abraham  an  angel  appeared  just  at  the  point  of 
time  when  most  needed,  for  the  knife  had  already  been  raised 
to  take  the  life  of  his  son.     Lot  was  hastened  by  angels  from 


INTRODUCTION.  Vll. 

the  burning  city  just  in  time  to  save  him  from  the  awful  con- 
flagration. Jacob  wrestled  with  an  angel  all  night  long,  and 
at  break  of  day  the  angel  bestowed  on  him  the  blessing  he 
sought.  All  through  Israel's  weary  journey  in  the  wilder- 
ness from  Egypt  to  the  land  of  Canaan  an  angel  of  God  went 
before  them  guiding  them  in  the  way.  To  Gideon  an  angel 
came  with  words  of  comfort  at  a  time  when  his  heart  almost 
sank  within  him  from  the  oppression  of  the  enemy,  and  when 
David  needed  reproof  for  numbering  Israel  an  angel  was  sent 
who  met  him  at  the  threshing-place  of  Araunah  the  Jebusite. 
When  Elijah  was  faint  and  hungry  with  his  long  journey,  as 
he  fled  in  terror  from  the  face  of  Jezebel,  who  sought  his  life, 
an  angel  came  to  strengthen  him.  When  the  three  young  He- 
brews were  cast  into  the  fiery  furnace  an  angel  of  God  stood 
by  their  side  to  protect  them  from  the  burning  flames.  An 
angel  made  Daniel  the  prophet  several  visits  in  hours  of  his 
greatest  need.  Once  when  in  the  lion's  den  an  angel  came  and 
calmed  those  ferocious  beasts,  making  them  as  harmless  as 
gentle  lambs ;  and  when  he  needed  skill  to  understand  the 
mysterious  visions  of  God  an  angel  gave  him  the  understand- 
ing he  so  much  desired. 

And  so  throughout  the  Bible  where  an  account  is  given  of 
the  appearance  of  angels,  whether  good  or  bad,  this  beautiful 
little  volume,  Footprints  of  Angels  in  Fields  of  Revela- 
tion, records  a  most  sublime  description  of  them,  in  the  glow- 
ing language  peculiar  to  the  writer's  style.  Chapter  1st  shows 
that  from  the  remotest  ages  there  has  existed  a  belief  in  the 
existence  of  angels.  Chapter  2nd  shows  the  ''dark  ministeries 
of  bad  angels,"  and  then  comes  the  history  of  the  good  and 
holy  angels  both  in  the  old  and  new  dispensations,  making  the 
book  very  deeply  interesting  and  instructive.     As  the  reader 


Vlll.  ,  INTRODUCTION. 

passes  along  from  chapter  to  chapter  he  will  be  thrilled  with 
the  interesting  events  in  the  ministry  of  the  holy  angels  as 
portrayed  in  this  book.  While  reading  chapter  7—  "Angels  at 
the  open  grave" — one  almost  imagines  himself  at  the  grave  of 
our  Blessed  Lord,  watching  the  angels  as  they  roll  the  stone 
away,  and  Jesus  comes  forth  a  conqueror  of  death.  One  of 
the  most  thrillingly  interesting  themes  is  the  gathering  of  the 
saints  at  the  last  day  by  the  holy  angels. 

We  say  to  this  book,  "Go  mto  all  lands,  visit  all  homes, 
enlighten  many  minds  and  comfort  many  hearts,  and  when  the 
final  settlement  shall  come  may  it  be  shown  what  good  thou 
hast  done  among  men." 

WM.  H.  MITCHELL. 

Kennebunk,  June  1,  1889. 


CONTENTS. 


FAGK. 

Preface  by  Author iii. 

Introduction  by  W.  H.  Mitchell v. 

CHAPTER  I. 
Belief  in  the  Existence  of  Angels 1 

CHAPTER  II. 
The  Dark  Ministries  of  the  Bad  Angels 9 

CHAPTER  IH. 
The  Good  Angels 24 

CHAPTER  IV. 
The  Holy  Angels 36 

CHAPTER  V. 
The  Holy  Angels  in  the  Christian  Age 4,5 

CHAPTER  VI. 
Holy  Angels  Strengthen  the  Son  of  God 54 

CHAPTER  VII. 
Angels  at  the  Open  Grave 60 

CHAPTER   VIII. 
Jesus  Went  Away,  but  the  Angels  are  With  Us  Still. .  • .     68 

CHAPTER  IX. 
An  Angel  Settles  an  International  Question 83 


X.  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  X. 

Angels  Assist  in  th.e  "Work  of  Salvation 95 

CHAPTER  XI. 
Angels  in  Patmos 104 

CHAPTER  Xn. 
An  Angel  Preaches  the  Gospel 1 15 

CHAPTER  Xin. 
The  Work  of  the  Angels— The  Work  of  the  Spirit 129 

CHAPTER   XIV. 
Angelic  Manifestations  in  Recent  Times 136 

CHAPTER  XV. 
Instances  of  the  Visible  Appearance  of  Angels 147 

CHAPTER  XVI. 
An  Angel  Announces  the  Coming  of  the  King 155 

CHAPTER  XVII. 
Angels  Will  Hail  the  Rising  Dead 163 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 
Angels  Will  Marshal  the  Risen  Dead • 168 


CHAPTER  I. 
Belief  in  the  Existence  of  flngels. 


•'Are  ye  forever  to  your  skies  departea? 
O,  will  ye  visit  our  dim  world  no  more? 
Ye,  whose  bright  wings  a  solemn  splendor  darted 
Through  Eden's  fresh  and  flowering  shades  of  yore !" 

— Hem  arts. 

From  the  earliest  historic  ages  belief  in  an  order 
of  beings  distinct  from  and  superior  to  the  human 
race  is  clearly  traceable.  Finite  imagination  has 
graced  every  realm  of  nature  with  thronging  intelli- 
gences of  vast  strength,  surpassing  wisdom,  and  in- 
imitable beauty.  The  Greeks  saw  in  all  things  the 
skillful  fingers  of  gods  and  fauns,  of  nymphs  and 
naiads.  Hesiod,  who  was,  next  to  Homer,  the  earli- 
7.  est  Greek  poet,  said:  "Millions  of  spiritual  crea- 
y  tures  walk  the  earth  unseen."  And  Socrates  be- 
lieved himself  attended  by  a  good  demon — or  know- 
ing one — who  gave  him  notice  every  morning  of  any 
evil  that  would  befall  him  during  the  day ;  and 
when  condemned  to  death  he  said,  ''My  demon  did 
not  give  me  notice  this  morning  of  any  evil  to  be- 
fall me  to-day  ;  therefore  I  cannot  regard  as  any 
evil  my  being  condemned  to  die." 

The  crude  and  confused  conceptions  of   the  an- 
cient heathens  concerning  various  orders  of  unseen 


2  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

beings  whom  the  Greeks  termed  demons,  and  the 
Romans  genii,  were  probably  derived  from  tradition, 
in  part,  and  partly  borrowed  from  the  sacred  writ- 
ings. 

But  only  in  the  certain  and  heavenly  light  of  Di- 
vine Inspiration  is  the  beautiful  and  thrilling  truth 
of  an  intermediate  race  of  created  beings,  holier, 
wiser  and  mightier  than  men,  placed  beyond  con- 
jecture. What  the  heathen  dimly  inferred  from  the 
analogies  of  nature,  and  the  phenomena  of  experi- 
ence, the  Christian  perceives  as  a  clear  and  divinely 
revealed  fact. 

The  exact  nature  of  the  angelic  race,  and  by 
what  laws  of  being  they  subsist,  are  among  the 
mysteries  for  whose  solution  we  shall  have  to  wait 
until  the  hour  when  we  shall  see  as  we  are  seen, 
and  know  as  we  are  known.  Various  opinions  have 
been  obtained,  but  they  are  little  more  than  conjec- 
ture. The  synod  of  Nice  invested  them  with  a  sub- 
tle, ethereal,  fire-like  body  ;  but  the  Scholastics  and 
Lateran  Council  of  1215  held  to  their  strict  materi- 
ality. 

But  in  the  light  of  Scripture  intimation,  which 
flashes  now  and  then  upon  their  persons  and  their 
ministries,  we  are  led  to  believe  that  those  wonder- 
ful and  powerful  intelligences  possess  the  faculty 
of  appearing  in  corporeal  forms  at  will,  or  to  come 
and  go,  plan  and  execute,  unperceived  by  mortal 
sense ;  mingling  with  and  variously  serving  the 
friends  of  God  on  earth  without  echo  of  footfall  or 
gleam  of  wing. 

The  Holy  Word  is  aglow  with  frequent  reference 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  3 

to  loving  ones,  whose  visitations  to  our  world,  and 
whose  delicate  ministries  to  our  race  suffuse  all  its 
pages  with  a  radiance  divine.  All  through  the  nar- 
ratives of  the  Sacred  Books  angelic  voices  ring 
clear  and  sweet.  All  along  the  darlvsome  way,  from 
Paradise  faded  to  Paradise  reblooming,  angelic  foot- 
falls are  distinctly  heard,  in  the  darkness  and  the 
light.  All  adown  the  changeful  ages  angelic  hosts, 
now  appearing  and  now  unseen,  have  led  the  way 
of  the  true  and  good.  With  many  a  dirge  of  earthly 
sorrow  has  come  the  glad  refrain  of  angelic  cheer. 
Over  many  a  new-made  grave  of  smitten  hopes, 
from  seraphic  wings  have  flashed  the  splendors  of 
resurrection  glory.  Above  the  mists  of  the  weary 
centuries  the  hills  of  God  are  thronged  with  circling 
ranks  of  beings  beautiful  and  pure,  who  stand  one 
foot  on  earth,  and  one  in  heaven.  Between  two 
worlds,  on  unseen  golden  steps  they  come  and  go, 
as  in  the  patriarch's  nightly  vision,  when  he  slept  at 
Luz  on  his  pillow  of  stone.  Above  us  in  rank  of 
being,  they  interpose  their  loftier  skill  and  strength, 
and  high  ministries  maintain  in  our  w^orld's  career 
and  destinies.  Why  they  visit  us  and  how  they 
serve  it  were  joy  to  know.  And  know  we  may. 
And  in  the  light  of  the  Holy  Oracles  let  ua  wonder- 
ingly  contemplate  their  interest  in  our  bewildered 
race  and  trace  their  glowing  footsteps  through  the 
mortal  ages. 

GOOD  AND  EVIL  ANGELS. 

An  infinitely  good  and  holy  God  could  not  have 
been  the  creator  of  evil  intelligences,  nor  in  any 
sense  the  author  of  disloyalty  to  his  own   throne. 


4  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

Therefore  we  must  conclude  that  all  the  angels  were 
endowed  with  the  same  immaculate  nature.  That 
the  entire  race  was  put  under  the  law  of  allegiance 
is  forcibly  intimated  by  several  Scripture  expres- 
sions ;  and  that  a  part  of  those  heavenly  hosts 
proved  disloyal  is  more  than  implied. 

'*And  angels  which  kept  not  their  own  principal- 
ity, but  left  their  proper  habitation,  he  hath  kept  in 
everlasting  bonds  under  darkness  unto  the  judg- 
ment of  the  great  day."     Jude  6.     (E.  V.) 

These  remarkable  but  somewhat  involved  words 
can  mean  no  less  than  that  the  evil  angels  were 
once  holy,  but  that  for  some  reason  they  fell  from 
their  primal  state  and  place,  and  became  malevolent 
in  spirit  and  nature,  the  enemies  of  God  and  of  all 
good  beings  and  things.  The  exact  occasion  of 
their  apostacy  who  can  tell  ?  It  has  been  conceived 
by  some  that  the  proclamation  of  the  Creator  that 
Jesus,  the  Son  of  God,  should  be  above  and  over 
all  principalities  and  powers  (Ps.  2:  6,  7),  and 
that  his  name  should  be  exalted  above  every  name, 
wounded  the  self -estimation  and  awakened  the  pride 
of  those  once  immaculate  creatures  ;  and  that  giv- 
ing way  to  dark  passions  they  were  plunged  into 
open  rebellion  against  the  throne  and  government 
of  the  Most  High. 

This  is  little  more  than  conjecture,  yet  it  seems 
quite  probable  when  it  is  remembered  that  for  count- 
less ages  before  they  had  stood  next  to  Jehovah  in 
dignity  of  being ;  the  name  Satan,  Lucifer,  or 
Michael  signifying  "?c7io  is  like  God.''  Possibly, 
touched  by  some  inexplicable  feeling  of  treasonable 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  0 

ambition  at  the  mention  of  one  to  come  who  should 
be  nearer  the  throne  than  himself,  he  said,  "I  too 
will  have  my  throne.  I  will  be  equal  to  the  Most 
High." 

But  what  a  mighty  fall  was  there  ! — a  fall  from 
heaven  to  hell.  What  cutting  disappointment ! 
"What  bitter,  burning  chagrin,  giving  birth  to  rage 
and  hate  co-equal  with  their  knowledge  and  their 
strength !  And  in  that  fall  two  races  and  a  glori- 
ous world  went  down. 

However  great  and  terrible  the  moral  change 
wrought  in  the  nature  of  the  fallen  angels  by  their 
lapse  into  rebellion  may  have  been,  there  is  no  rea- 
son to  suppose  that  they  suffered  any  diminution  of 
knowledge  or  power,  or  any  essential  change  of  in- 
tellectual forces.  The  Scriptures  habitually  inti- 
mate that  they  are  still  possessed  of  vast  mental 
foresight  and  cunning,  coupled  with  immense  bodily 
strength.  That  they  understand  the  laws  of  matter 
and  mind,  and  are  able  to  control  physical  forces 
we  cannot  doubt.  We  see  Lucifer  wielding  the 
wind  and  the  lightning  in  his  persecution  of  Job, 
and  transporting  the  Saviour  from  the  wilderness  to 
the  pinnacle  of  the  temple,  and  thence  to  the  top  of 
an  "exceeding  high  mountain;"  and  the  miracles 
wrought  by  him  in  Egypt  in  imitation  of  those  per- 
formed by  Moses  show  his  wonderful  mastery  of 
the  physical  elements.  And  Paul  referring  to  the 
wicked  one  says  :  "Whose  coming  is  after  the  work- 
ing of  Satan,  with  all  power  and  signs  and  lying 
ivonders;"  and  John  ascribes  to  the  "spirits  of  dev- 
ils" the  power   to   work   miracles.     And   solemnly 


b  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

does  Inspiration  warn  us  that  we  "wrestle  against 
principalities  and  powers,  and  spiritual  wickedness 
in  high  places."  A  most  startling  element  of  their 
power  over  weaker  minds  is  disclosed  in  their  ability 
to  conceal  their  true  character,  appearing  as  holy 
things,  almost  deceiving  the  "very  elect."  They 
can  transform  themselves,  at  will,  into  the  appear- 
ance of  "angels  of  light,"  or  loyal  angels,  and  so 
artfully  personate  the  sons  of  God  that,  by  the  un- 
wary, Lucifer  may  be  taken  for  Gabriel. 

And  it  must  also  be  remembered  that  the  hordes 
of  treason-stricken  beings  act  not  singly  and  at 
wild  random,  but  in  close  unity  of  evil.  What  binds 
them  together  and  inspires  allegiance  to  their  infer- 
nal leader,  who  can  tell?    But  that, 

"Devil  with  devil  damned 
Firm  concord  holds," 

there  is  much  reason  to  believe.  Throughout  the 
Scriptures  one  of  the  many  fallen  spirits,  by  way 
of  distinction  and  eminence,  is  designated  "the  dev- 
il," "ApoUyon,"  "the  old  serpent,"  "the  angel  of 
the  bottomless  pit,"  "the  prince  of  darkness,"  "the 
god  of  this  world."  And  of  this  chief  of  the  con- 
federacy of  rebellion  St.  Paul  affirms,  "The  whole 
world  lieth  in  the  wicked  one." 

Doubtless  the  great  instigator  of  the  revolt  in 
heaven  was  an  angel  of  high  rank,  one  of  the  arch- 
angels, a  very  "son  of  the  morning,"  who  by  his 
position  near  the  throne,  and  his  recognized  superi- 
ority, was  able  to  lead  into  rebellion  and  treason  a 
large  number  of  the  heavenly  hosts,  who,  under  his 
leadership,  were  and  are   thoroughly   organized   in 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  7 

their  work  of  hate  and  rage  and  ruin.  He,  the 
unblushing,  stupendous  traitor,  is  their  high  priest 
of  crime  against  the  Throne^  against  the  loyal  ser- 
aphs, against  the  Christ,  against  all  goodness  ;  the 
captain  of  their  dark  damnation.  Under  his  well 
skilled  mastery  and  chieftainship  all  the  sons 
of  night  are  marshalled  in  their  incessant,  hellish 
invasion  of  our  world  and  ruin  of  our  race. 

That  the  vast  army  of  fiendish  insurgents  are  di- 
vided into  companies,  and  classed  according  to  their 
skill  in  dark  designs,  and  their  strength  to  execute 
their  great  leader's  will,  is  more  than  probable.  Be- 
ing finite  creatures,  and  not  omnipresent,  though 
swift  of  unseen  wing  as  lightning's  flash,  they  can- 
not assault,  in  full  force,  all  points  at  once,  though 
they  may  be  massed,  for  special  purposes,  with 
great  rapidity.  Scattered  through  all  nations,  cog- 
nizant of  all  notable  events,  in  attendance  at  all 
courts,  standing  behind  all  thrones,  watching  all 
human  leaders  in  church  and  state,  marching  with 
every  general,  entering  the  chancel  with  every  priest 
— all  in  obedience  to  the  dictates  of   the  chief   of 

devils — 

"With  rage  that  never  ends, 
Their  hellish  arts  they  try  ; 
Legions  of  dire,  malicious  hends, 
And  spirits  enthroned  on  high." 

It  was  an  ancient  and  prevailing  opinion  among 
both  Jews  and  Christians  that,  beside  the  general 
and  organized  malevolence  of  evil  spirits,  every 
man  is  personally  attended  by  a  good  and  a  bad  an- 
gel. While  this  can  scarcely  be  proved  by  direct 
Scripture  declaration,  it  seems  not  improbable  that, 


8  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

filled  with  black  envy  and  furious  hate  towards  the 
*'angels  of  light,"  who  refused  to  be  betrayed  into 
rebellion  by  ApoUyon,  the  fallen  ones  should  take 
special  delight  in  seeking  to  countervail  the  gracious 
ministries  of  the  shining  ones  sent  forth  of  God  to 
serve  his  elect.  The  thought  that  every  guardian 
angel,  tenderly  caring  for  his  precious  trust,  is 
shadowed  and  followed  by  a  demon,  seeking  to  pre- 
vent the  intended  blessing,  may  well  awaken  feel- 
ings of  insecurity,  o'ermastered  by  a  grateful  sense 
of  safety ;  for  our  God  and  his  holy  angels  are  in- 
finitely wiser  and  mightier  than  Satan  and  his  an- 
gels. And  ever  repeating  the  prayer  put  into  our 
lips  by  Bishop  Kent,  we  may  dismiss  all  fears : 

"0.  may  thy  angels,  while  I  sleep, 
Around  my  bed  their  vigils  keep ; 
Their  love  angelical  instill. 
Stop  every  avenue  of  ill. 
May  they  celestial  joys  rehearse. 
And  thought  to  thought  with  me  converse." 

But  this  is  only  a  glance  at  the  dark  and  frightful 
work  of  the  had  angels.  We  will  add  another  chap- 
ter to  this  dismal  theme,  and  then,  dropping  the 
terror  out  of  our  speech,  we  will  lift  up  our  eyes  to 
the  hills  of  God  and  survey  with  delight  the  minis- 
tries of  the  holy  ones. 


CHAPTER  II. 
The  Dark  fllinistfies  of  the  Bad  flngels. 


The  facts  of  history  concur  with  the  statements 
of  revelation  in  forcing  upon  us  the  unwelcome  con- 
viction that  the  human  race  is  subject  to  the  malev- 
olent influence  of  an  organized  and  all-pervading 
demonism.  Alike  in  the  career  of  nations  and  in 
the  phenomena  of  personal  destiny  the  presence  of 
demoniacal  skill  and  power  is  often  prominent,  fre- 
quently dominant,  always  evil. 

Not  content  with  openly  and  violently  breaking 
allegiance  to  the  Throne,  the  bad  angels  conspired 
to  oppose  and  defeat,  in  every  possible  way,  to 
every  possible  extent,  the  purposes  and  govern- 
ment of  Jehovah,  from  whose  presence  they  have 
l)een  cast  down  into  darkness,  until  the  judgment 
of  the  great  day.  "Reserved  in  chains" — held  un- 
der divinely-imposed  limitation — they  were  still  left 
free  to  prosecute  their  dark  designs  in  those  that 
"yield  themselves  servants  to  obey"  their  fiendish 
will  and  way. 

In  undiminished  possession  of  their  intelligence 
and  strength  they  constantly  assault  us  in  every 
weakness  ;  through  every  avenue  ;  by  every  means ; 


10  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

by  methods  foul  or  fair  ;  in  haggard  shapes  of  taunt- 
ing guilt,  in  garbs  of  light,  falsely  assumed  ;  in  dark- 
ness when  we  know  it  not ;  in  open  day  when  least 
suspected. 

"A  constant  watch  they  keep ; 
They  eye  us  night  and  day ; 
They  never  shiinber,  never  sleep, 
Lest  they  should  lose  their  prey.'* 

Whom  they  cannot  destroy  they  cease  not  to 
worry,  torment.  They  inspire  evil  tempers  ;  arouse 
dark  passions ;  instill  ill  will ;  beget  malice,  envy ; 
impose  care,  fear,  distrust ;  suggest  deceit,  fraud, 
and  all  forms  of  crime.  As  one  has  said,  "There 
is  no  evil  done,  or  spoken,  or  thought  without  the 
assistance  of  the  devil." 

Just  when  in  the  history  of  the  universe  their  re- 
volt and  rebellion  occurred  we  do  not  know  ;  or  what 
desolation  they  may  have  wrought  in  other  worlds 
than  ours  we  may  not  even  conjecture  ;  but  clear  it 
is  that  in  the  creation  of  the  human  race,  endowed 
with  perfect  freedom  of  will,  and  placed  under  law 
of  obedience,  and  accessible  to  temptation,  the  arch 
devil,  the  fallen  "son  of  the  morning,"  saw  oppor- 
tunity most  rare  for  the  appliance  of  his  angelic 
wisdom  and  infernal  malice,  in  an  attempt  at  once 
specious  and  audacious,  to  thwart  the  holy  will  of 
God  and  plunge  untold  millions  of  sentient  beings, 
together  with  a  beautiful  creation  fashioned  for 
their  happiness,  into  miseries  of  which  only  fiends, 
who  once  were  angels,  could  have  conceived.  And 
amidst  the  faded  splendors  of  the  primal  Eden  the 
first  foot-prints  of  the  malign  invader  of  our  world 
are  found.     Well  may  he  boast  that  his  earliest  and 


IN  FIELDS  ON  REVELATION.  11 

all-sweeping  triumph  was  won  under  the  shadow  of 
the  cherubic  wings. 

Inspired  b\'  his  much  coveted,  but  scarcely  ex- 
pected success,  he  did  not  and  does  not  fail  to  fol- 
low up  his  vast  victory ;  reaping,  through  all  the 
ages,  the  black  spoils  of  his  infernal  triumph.  Down 
through  the  suffering  centuries  the  mocking  voices 
of  his  confederate  fiends  are  heard  ;  and  the  tu- 
mult of  his  crimson  chariot  wheels  breaks  the  peace 
of  all  lands. 

When  the  first  two  brothers,  born  under  the  same 
roof  of  flowers,  and  cradled  in  the  same  mother's 
bosom,  went  forth  together  with  their  offerings  to 
the  Lord,  the  bad  angel,  with  unheard  steps,  went 
forth  with  them,  whispering  the  while  a  false  thought 
to  Cain,  arousing  dark  passions  in  his  heart,  then 
plunging  him  into  the  ignominy  of  the  first  murder- 
er's guilt  and  shame. 

Moreover,  on  the  day  that  the  sons  of  God  came 
to  present  themselves  before  the  Most  High,  the 
chief  of  the  evil  angels  came  also  among  them,  in 
quest  of  some  victim  of  his  malicious  acts.  And, 
being  permitted  by  the  Lord  God,  he  boldly  tried 
his  destructive  power  upon  the  only  perfect  man  in 
all  the  earth.  At  one  fell  stroke  he  robbed  Job  of 
all  his  oxen  and  asses,  and  slew  all  his  servants 
with  the  edge  of  the  sword.  And  before  the  holy 
man  had  time  to  recover  from  the  terrible  shock  he 
called  fire  down  from  heaven  and  burned  up  all  his 
sheep,  and  the  shepherds  that  kept  them.  And 
then  with  another  blow  he  destroyed  all  his  camels, 
and  their   keepers.     And,  his  satanic    hate    sharp- 


12  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

ened  by  the  sight  of  blood,  he  raised  the  winds  of 
the  wilderness,  and  therein  smote  down  the  house 
wherein  all  Job's  children  were  gleefully  assembled, 
and  slew  them  all.  And  then  in  fiendish  delight 
he  looked  and  listened  as  the  desolate  patriarch 
bowed  himself  to  the  ground  while  his  irrepres- 
sible grief  broke  forth  in  the  sorrowful  lament, 
'•'•  Naked  came  I  out  of  my  mother's  womb,  and 
naked  shall  I  return  thither."  His  hellish  hate  not 
even  yet  satiated,  and  enraged  afresh  that  his  robbed 
and  bereaved  victim  had  not  surrendered  his  integ- 
rity and  trust  in  God,  by  further  permission  he  re- 
newed his  cruel  assault  on  the  person  of  his  an- 
guish-smitten subject.  From  the  sole  of  his  feet  to 
the  crown  of  his  head  he  smote  him  with  sore,  cor- 
rupting, tormenting  boils.  And  as  the  forlorn. and 
heart-crushed  servant  of  God — his  property  all 
gone,  hie  sons  and  daughters  every  one  slain,  him- 
self an  object  of  disgust — betook  himself  to  the  ash 
heaps  for  relief,  this  relentless  fallen  angel,  this 
very  Apollyon  of  treason  against  Heaven,  smiled  a 
fiendish  smile  and  said,  I  will  smite  his  broken  heart 
with  one  blow  more,  and  it  shall  be  the  heaviest  of 
them  all.  I  will  touch  his  lacerated  soul  in  its  ten- 
derest,  sorest  spot.  And  then  he  frenzied  his  hith- 
erto faithful  and  loving  wife,  with  a  revolting  sense 
of  her  husband's  forsaken  and  disgusting  condition, 
and  put  into  her  once  caressing  lips  the  barbed  dag- 
ger of  distrusting  and  discarding  words  :  ^'•Renounce 
God^  and  die." 

And  this  is  he — the  chief  of  the  disloyal  angels, 
the  fallen  seraphs,  the  spirits  of  the  pit,  the  hordes 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  13 

of  darkness,  the  black  army  of  demons,  who  from 
Job's  time  till  now  have  never  slumbered  nor  slept, 
but  day  and  night,  in  the  darkness  and  in  the  open 
day,  infest  our  world  and  prosecute  with  tireless  in- 
fernal zeal  and  zest  their  black-hearted  plans  to 
torture  and  destroy. 

And  now  the  head  of  the  fallen  ones  tries  his 
baud  with  a  king  of  Israel  for  a  subject  and  a  witch 
for  a  medium.  A  strange  conjunction  of  charac- 
ters !  Saul  was  first  possessed  by  a  spirit  of  peri- 
odical lunacy,  or  madness.  This  led  him  into  other 
follies,  and  cut  him  off  from  access  to  divine  guid- 
ance. And  when  a  critical  moment  in  his  w'aiiike 
career  came,  he  was  instigated  by  satanic  influence 
to  apply  to  a  necromancer  for  information  and  di- 
rection, which  resulted  in  the  defeat  of  the  armies 
of  Israel  and  the  death  of  Saul  and  both  his  sons. 
Thus  the  bad  angels  accomplished  a  great  national 
calamity. 

The  resurrection  of-  the  dead  must  be  very  espec- 
ially annoying  to  the  apostate  angels,  for  the  in- 
troduction of  death  was  a  chief  purpose  and  a  great 
triumph  of  their  invasion  of  paradise  ;  and  the  res- 
urrection annuls  that  dark  phase  of  their  wicked 
work.  And  so,  when  Michael  was  sent  from  Heaven 
to  superintend  the  resurrection  of  Moses  from  his 
royal  grave  among  the  cliffs  of  Nebo,  as  the  proto- 
type of  the  general  resurrection,  the  chief  of  the 
fallen  hosts  appeared  on  the  spot  and  sharply  con- 
tended with  him  over  the  body  of  the  great  leader 
of  Israel,  doubtless  insisting  that  he  had  "the  power 
of  death"  until  probation  shall  end  and  the  judg- 


14  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

ment  shall  sit,  and  that  God  himself  had  no  right  to 
revive  any  of  the  dead  "before  the  time."  And  it 
was  only  when  the  Almighty  rebuked  his  insolent 
assumption  that  he  quit  the  field  and  left  Michael  to 
fulfill  his  grand  commission. 

This  instance  of  audacious  interference  with  the 
purposes  of  the  Almighty  forcibly  suggests  that  the 
chief  of  devils,  by  the  aid  of  his  myriad  associates, 
knows  what  is  transpiring  in  our  world,  and  watches 
with  sleepless  jealousy  the  progress  of  events,  surely 
discerning  coming  occasions  for  some  bold  attempt 
to  defeat  the  success  of  mercy  and  truth.  And  in 
the  resurrection  of  Moses  he  saw  the  prophecy  of 
that  hour  when  all  the  millions  of  our  race,  slain 
and  consigned  to  hades  as  the  result  of  his  first  foul 
falsehood,  shall  awake  and  arise  ;  and  deaths  and 
himself  who  had  and  sought  to  retain  the  power  of 
death,  should  be  utterly  destroyed  ;  and  to  prevent 
that  great  antecedent  resurrection  he  measured 
swords  with  Michael  over  the  first  opened  tomb  of 
earth.  But  he  was  vanquished,  and  Moses  arose 
and  went  forth  to  gloriously  enact  his  pre-eminent 
part  in  the  more  than  half  heavenly  scenes  on 
Tabor. 

Of  all  classes  of  men  employed  by  the  Heavenly 
Father  in  the  work  of  redemption,  none  are  more 
fiercely  hated  by  the  wicked  angels  than  the  whole 
line  of  the  prophets.  For  from  the  first  to  the  last 
they  foretell  the  final  and  eternal  overthrow  and  ut- 
ter extinction  of  the  "powers  of  darkness,"  the  "spir- 
its of  disobedience." 

When  Daniel  had  obtained  audience  with  Heaven, 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  15 

and  a  loyal  angel  -was  sent  to  give  him  * 'skill  and 
understanding,"  and  to  reveal  to  him  coming  events 
of  the  greatest  moment  to  his  people  Israel  and  to 
the  saints  of  all  time,  the  '"prince  of  the  kingdom 
of  Persia,"  the  evil  angel  specially  appointed  to  in- 
fluence and,  if  possible,  to  control  the  "Persian 
world  power  to  which  Israel  was  then  subject" — 
met  the  holy  angel  at  the  Persian  court,  and  fiercely 
resisted  his  efforts  to  influence  the  rulers  to  allow 
Israel's  restoration  ;  and  also,  perhaps,  sought  to 
retard  the  holy  one's  visit  to  the  waiting  prophet. 
For  twenty-one  days  did  the  arch  traitor  press  his 
opposing  skill  and  power  against  the  messenger  of 
the  Lord.  And  only  when  Michael,  the  archangel 
— the  same  who  contended  with  the  demon  over  the 
body  of  Moses — came  to  the  assistance  of  his  fel- 
low angel,  was  the  persistent  spirit  of  darkness  re- 
pulsed and  Jehovah's  purpose  accomplished. 

These  few  instances  selected  from  Old  Testament 
history  are  quite  suflScient  to  demonstrate  the  real- 
ity and  potency  of  the  interference  of  bad  angels, 
both  in  personal  experience  and  destiny,  and  in  the 
broader  and  graver  issues  of  state. 

And  yet,  startled  as  we  well  may  be  at  this  merest 
glance  at  the  blackness  and  darkness  of  the  two 
well  laid  plots  and  plans  of  fiendish  cunning  and 
strength,  there  is  much  more  that  ought  to  be  said 
and  pondered,  especially  as  related  to  Christian  his- 
tory, and  to  our  own  times. 

WORK  OF  THE   BAD  ANGELS  IN  THE  CHRISTIAN  AGE. 

The  old  dispensation  closed  darkly  and  gloomily 
for  the  hope  of  Israel,  but  auspiciously  for  the  em- 


16  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

pire  of  darkness.  Satanic  dominance  had  fatally 
demoralized  the  house  of  David.  The  enemies  of 
Judah  held  sway  over  the  royal  people  and  city. 
All  the  nations  of  the  world  were  governed  by  one 
sceptre,  and  that  the  sceptre  of  Rome  ;  always  op- 
pressive, always  cruel,  often  bloody  Rome.  And 
the  dawn  of  the  new  dispensation  awakened  afresh 
the  jealous  hate  and  dark  forebodings  of  the  primal 
apostate,  and  startled  with  peculiar  alarm  the  whole 
confederacy  of  evil.  In  the  earliest  light  of  the 
gospel  era  they  saw  the  gleam  of  the  power  and 
glory  of  Messiah's  kingdom,  which  they  understood 
had  been  promised  by  Jehovah  and  predicted  by  all 
the  ancient  prophets  ;  and  in  the  possible  triumph 
of  the  Nazarene  they  saw  their  own  discomfiture 
and  final  extinction  ;  for  they  knew  who  Jesus  was 
and  whence  he  came,  and  that  he  was  "manifested 
to  destroy  the  works  of  the  devil."  Their  chief  once 
said  to  Christ,  "Art  thou  come  to  destroy  us?  I 
know  thee  whom  thou  art ;  the  Holy  One  of  God." 
Well  they  knew  their  only  chance  to  perpetuate 
their  power  or  maintain  their  personal  existence 
was  in  some  well  laid  fiendish  strategy  to  destroy  or 
traduce  the  Son  of  God,  and  circumvent  his  re- 
demptive undertaking.  Their  first  plot  was  to  de- 
stroy the  Christ  in  his  mother's  arms  by  means  of 
the  inflamed  jealousy  of  the  cruel  Herod.  Foiled 
in  this  by  the  interference  of  a  good  angel,  and  un- 
able to  affect  the  Son  of  Mary  by  any  evil  disease, 
or  to  possess  him  with  any  evil  spirit,  they  awaited 
his  entrance  upon  his  public  ministry.  Doubtless, 
in  curious  envy,  they  thronged,  unseen  of  men,  the 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  17 

green  shores  of  the  Jordan,  but  were  not  allowed  to 
mar  the  beauty  and  holiness  of  the  baptismal  scene 
by  so  much  as  a  whisper  of  their  malicious  lips  or 
a  motion  of  their  black  wings. 

But  as  soon  as  our  Lord  assumed  the  functions  of 
his  redemptive  priesthood,  before  he  had  opened  his 
lips  to  teach,  or  wrought  a  single  miracle,  the  arch 
deceiver  confronted  him,  full  armed  with  his  ancient 
cunning  and  well  dissembled  falsehood.  In  the 
midst  of  a  gloomy  Judean  desert,  surrounded  by 
howling  "wild  beasts" — fit  place  and  circumstance 
for  foul  Satanic  assault — face  to  face  they  stood, 
the  immaculate  and  anointed  Son  of  God,  and  the 
black-hearted  traitor,  the  chief  of  the  fallen  angels. 
And  that  encounter  was  as  real  and  personal  as  was 
that  in  Eden  ;  as  literal  as  the  meeting  of  Napoleon 
and  AVellington  at  Waterloo.  To  deny  that  Apol- 
lyon  was  really  there,  is  to  deny  that  Jesus  was 
there,  thus  turning  the  whole  account  into  an  al- 
legory. 

For  forty  terrible  days  the  Michael  of  the  dark 
world  plied  his  hellish  arts  to  seduce  the  second 
Adam  as  he  had  seduced  the  first.  Could  he  with 
subtlety  supreme  but  induce  the  High  Priest  of  our 
redemption  to  distrust  the  divinity  of  his  commis- 
sion, audibly  bestowed  on  him  at  the  baptism  ;  could 
he  but  wring  from  his  breast,  by  the  torture  of  lying 
words,  the  consciousness  that  he  was  the  "Son  of 
the  living  God  ;"  could  he  only  awaken  in  his  mind 
the  dim  shadow  of  one  dark  doubt,  the  assault 
would  be  a  success  far  greater  than  that  achieved 
in  paradise,  in  the  morning  of  the  world. 


18  FOOT- PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

All  his  subtlety  of  speech,  fair  and  foul ;  all  his 
plausibility  of  reasouing,  failing  to  shake  the  con- 
stancy of  the  Prince  of  life,  at  the  end  of  his  long 
fasting,  when  hunger  in  its  resistless,  bewildering 
power  returned  upon  him,  the  practical  chief  of  the 
devils  suddenly  changed  his  method  of  attack,  and 
with  beguiling  phrase  sought  to  plunge  the  Saviour 
into  damning  presumption.  "If  thou  be  the  Son  of 
God,"  demonstrate  thy  divinity  and  godlike  power 
by  commanding  that  "these  stones  be  made  bread," 
he  said. 

Foiled  still,  as  a  last  resort  he  re-attempts  the 
bold,  audacious  strategy  that  had  served  his  malign 
intent  so  well  upon  the  first  pair  in  the  garden. 
And,  throwing  off  all  disguise  he  boldly  assumes 
rivalry  with  God  himself  in  his  claims  to  homage 
and  worship.  To  Eve  and  Adam  he  presented  the 
alluring  promise  of  becoming  gods  themselves.  To 
Jesus  he  offers  the  immediate  possession  and  ruler- 
ship  of  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  world,  and  their 
untold  glory,  for  one  moment  of  homage.  Stand- 
ing upon  an  exceeding  high  mountain,  he  pointed 
out  the  enchanting  loveliness  of  all  the  surrounding 
country,  the  flowering  beauty  of  hill  and  vale,  and, 
by  some  panoramic  skill,  brought  into  ravishing 
view  the  glory  of  "all  the  kingdoms  of  the  world ;" 
then,  recklessly  assuming  entire  control  and  full 
right  of  conveyance,  he  held  the  glittering  tempta- 
tion before  the  eyes  of  Christ,  and  offered  to  give 
him  all  if  he  would  by  one  brief  overt  act  confess 
his  Satanic  princeship.  Had  he  succeeded  he  would, 
through  the  defection  of   the    second   Adam,  have 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  19 

wrecked  the  plan  and  purpose  of  redemption  ;  as, 
through  the  surrender  of  the  first  Adam,  he  wrecked 
the  piimal  bliss  of  both  man  and  nature,  and  there- 
by would  have  prolonged  the  tenure  of  his  own  ex- 
istence and  the  dominance  of  his  empire  of  treason 
and  ruin.  And  in  this  whole  adroitly  planned  and 
cunningly  prosecuted  conflict  for  the  seduction  and 
capture  of  the  "Captain  of  our  salvation,"  we  see 
the  hand  of  an  unmistakably  personal  being — the 
head  and  chief  of  the  infernal  confederacy  of  apos- 
tate angels. 

Utterly  defeated  in  every  attempt  to  corrupt  the 
Saviour  or  shake  his  confidence  in  his  divine  mis- 
sion for  the  salvation  of  the  just,  and  the  extinc- 
tion of  the  wicked — the  destruction  of  the  '^work  of 
the  devil"  and  the  devil  himself —the  next  strategy 
of  the  arch  fiend  was  to  cut  off  his  triumph  by  pro- 
curing his  premature  death  while  his  work  was  in  its 
incipient  stages.  For  this  he  found  a  ready  and 
pliant  agent  in  the  person  of  one  of  the  chosen  dis- 
cipleship,  himself  an  apostate,  and  so  like  the  fallen 
ones  that  he  is  called  ''a  devil."  Every  fiend  has 
his  Judas.  *'Then  entered  Satan  into  Judas,  sur- 
named  Iscariot,  being  one  of  the  twelve.  And  he 
went  his  way  and  communed  with  the  chief  priests 
and  captains  how  he  might  betray  him  unto  them." 

But  when  Christ  had  risen  from  the  dead  and  as- 
cended to  the  court  in  heaven,  it  flashed  like  con- 
suming lightning  on  the  whole  race  of  the  fallen 
sons  of  light,  that  the  encounters  of  their  chief  with 
the  personal  Jesus  had  ended  in  ignominious  defeat 
and  disaster.     And  then  they  knew  their  fate  was 


20  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

sealed  ;  the  die  of  their  damnation  was  cast.  And 
it  only  remained  to  them  to  hunt  and  worry  and  tor- 
ment the  friends  of  God  until  the  appointed  time. 

And,  remembering  his  success  of  infamy  in  be- 
reaving and  torturing  Job,  the  doomed  leader  of  the 
doomed  army  of  the  apostates  massed  his  full  force 
upon  the  exposed  followers  of  the  ascended  Saviour. 
And  the  startling  phenomena  of  demonism  which  so 
saddened  the  history  of  the  early  Christian  church 
furnishes  the  painful  proof  of  the  reality  and  terri- 
ble power  of  bad  angels  over  the  minds  and  bodies 
of  men. 

Nor  has  their  malign  energy  ceased  or  abated  as 
the  centuries  have  come  and  gone.  It  was  their 
malice  and  hate,  firing  the  hearts  of  their  willing 
human  allies,  that  drenched  the  church  in  the  blood 
of  her  martyrs  for  more  than  a  thousand  years.  It 
was  their  infernal  ingenuity,  finding  ready  agents  in 
Pagan  and  Papal  Rome,  that  invented  the  rack^  the 
thumb-screw,,  the  guiUotine.  It  was  their  fiendish 
malevolence  that  conceived  and  organized  and  in- 
spired the  bloodthirsty  Inquisition.  It  was  their 
damning  hate,  through  their  zealous  Roman  co-con- 
spirators, that  made  the  tortures  enacted  by  the 
Papacy  possible.  They  smiled  and  laughed  when 
the  crackling  flames  besported  themselves  with  the 
dying  agonies  of  Ridley  and  Latimer  and  their  he- 
roic associates  at  the  stake.  They  grinned  and 
danced  in  hellish  glee  while  the  gardens  of  Nero — 
their  favorite  and  eager  vicegerent — were  lighted  by 
the  blazing  bodies  of  the  witnesses  of  God.  They 
hold  high  jubilee,  through  all  their   dark  caverns, 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  21 

while  Leo  the  Pope  is  holding  jubilee  at  Rome. 
The  Vatican  of  the  H0I3'  See  is  but  an  adjunct  of 
their  Vatican  in  the  Pit.  The  arch  devil  and  the 
arch  Romanist  are  no  strangers.  All  the  bulls  is- 
sued from  the  seven-hilled  city  are  countersigned  by 
the  chief  of  the  apostate  angels.  It  is  but  one 
short  stej)  from  Rome  to  Gehenna. 

As  the  closing  scene  of  human  probation  and  Sa- 
tanic existence  approaches,  we  might  expect  an  ap- 
palling increase  of  demoniacal  manifestation.  The 
words  of  revelation  are  very  significant:  "Woe  for 
the  earth  and  for  the  sea  ;  because  the  devil  is  gone 
down  unto  you,  having  great  wrath,  knowing  that 
his  thne  is  short."  And  that  these  times  are  dis- 
tinguished by  unparalleled  displays  of  evil  agencies 
is  frightfully  apparent.  They  affect  us  in  many 
ways.  As  Satan  covered  Job  with  excruciating 
sores,  and  bound  a  daughter  of  Abraham  so  that 
she  could  not  raise  herself  up  for  eighteen  years 
(Luke  13  :  16),  so  now  much  of  the  suffering  from 
diseases  and  many  cases  of  lunacy  and  insanity  are 
doubtless  produced,  directly  or  indirectly,  by  evil 
angels.  They  are  full  of  bitter  envy  and  burning 
revenge  towards  all  classes  of  human  beings  ;  and 
they  rest  not  day  nor  night  in  their  cruel  work  of 
afflicting  and  tormenting  all  within  their  reach.  It 
is  more  than  probable  that  many  of  the  accidents 
and  physical  calamities  which  befall  us  are  produced 
by  their  power  over  material  forces.  That  the  hur- 
ricanes and  cyclones  are  fanned  into  destructive 
fury  by  their  black  wings  we  may  well  believe.  And 
atmospheric  disturbances,  producing  new  forms  of 


22  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

disease  which  baffle  the  skill  of  the  doctors,  are 
doubtless  the  baleful  work  of  the  "prince  of  the 
power  of  the  air." 

Familiar  with  the  laws  which  govern  mental  con- 
ditons,  the  fallen  hosts  ply  all  their  specious  arts  to 
excite  personal  suspicions  and  animosities,  and  to 
create  national  resentments  and  bloody  conflicts, 
their  chief  delight  being  to  compass  the  destruction 
of  peace  and  the  banishment  of  concord  from  the 
earth  ;  to  embitter  the  poor  children  of  sin  and  sor- 
row against  each  other,  and  turn  our  world  into  an 
arena  of  strife  and  crime. 

Another  and  a  foremost  achievement  of  the  wick- 
ed angels  is  the  propagation  of  false  doctrines. 
Their  work  began  with  a  colossal  lie,  and  has  been 
prosecuted  in  stupendous  deception.  The  Holy 
Oracles  give  special  warning  against  "doctrines  of 
devils,"  as  one  of  the  signs  of  the  judgment  day  at 
hand.  Necromancy,  incantation  and  witchcraft 
were  the  fruit  of  their  deceitful  inspiration  in  the 
ancient  years,  as  Spiritualism  and  Christian  Science 
are  in  our  times. 

But  supremely  do  they  revel  in  the  criminal  do- 
main. They  foster  falsehood,  incite  revenge,  fan 
jealousy,  beget  quarrels,  help  on  thefts,  robbery 
and  arson,  further  divorces,  plan  defalcations,  in- 
stigate murders.  They  run  the  saloons  and  edit  the 
Police  News. 

Their  masterpiece  of  wrathful  power  will  be  wit- 
nessed in  their  leadership  of  the  wicked  nations, 
living  and  dead,  in  the  universal  fray,  with  whose 
terrific  scenes  of  unrestrained  and  crimson  carnage 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  23 

our  doomed  world's  tragical  history  will  close.  The 
saiots  will  be  safely  shielded  beyond  the  reach  of 
their  fiery  breath,  while  they  will  be  left  to  wreak 
their  final  vengeance  on  the  myriad  victims  of  their 
cruel  deceit  and  fiendish  malice.  But  fire  will  come 
down  from  God  out  of  heaven  and  destroy  them 
all.  The  chief  and  personal  leader  of  the  fallen 
seraphs,  with  his  numerous  followers  and  confeder- 
ates in  treason  and  rebellion,  and  all  the  poor  chil- 
dren of  men  who  have  yielded  consent  to  his  dark 
devices  and  followed  his  black  banne/s,  will  be  con- 
sumed together  by  the  devouring  flames  ;  and  all  the 
loyal  angels  and  all  the  ransomed  saints  will  join  in 
high  acclaim  of  joy  that  heaven  and  earth  are  for- 
ever freed  from  the  malicious  ministries  of  the  evil 
angels. 

'^And  the  God  of  peace   shall   bruise   Satan 
under  your  feet  shortly." 


CHAPTER  III. 
The  Good  flngcls. 


*'Yet  by  your  shining  eyes  not  all  forsaken, 
Man  wandered  from  his  Paradise  away  ; 
Ye,  from  forgetfulness  his  heart  to  waken, 
Came  down,  high  guests,  in  many  a  later  day; 
And  witli  the  patriarchs,  under  vine  or  oak, 
Midst  noontide  calm  or  hush  of  evening,  spoke."" 

The  Heavenly  Father  governs  his  universe  not  by 
sovereign  fiat  alone,  but  largely  by  chosen  and  com- 
missioned messengers,  royal  ministers,  plenipoten- 
tiaries direct  from  the  throne  and  court  in  heaven ; 
invested  with  adequate  power  to  instruct,  deliver, 
guide  and  bless  the  children  of  God,  in  their  tear- 
ful and  exposed  pilgrimage  on  earth.  Ten  thou- 
sand times  ten  thousand  holy  beings  wait,  and  ever 
wait,  on  poised  and  ready  wing,  before  the  Almighty 
Presence,  eager  to  fly  on  heavenly  behests  to  any 
world,  to  every  race.  In  the  darkness  and  in  the 
light,  when  men  sleep  and  when  they  wake,  in  the 
hour  of  peace  and  in  the  fiery  shock  of  arms,  inces- 
santly they  come  and  go,  unerringly  fulfilling  the 
will  of  Him  who  sitteth  on  the  throne.  Nor  are 
they  merely  obsequious  servants  of  the  sovereign 
God,  but  are  instinct  with  lofty  interest  in  all  the 
issues  of  the  divine  government,  in  all  the  purposes 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  25 

and  plans  of  truth  and  grace.  With  seraphic  won- 
der they  watch  the  unfoldings  of  the  Infinite  wis- 
dom and  goodness,  and  glow  with  holy  delight  in 
the  mighty  trusts  to  which  they  are  elected.  When 
Jehovah  unveiled  to  their  enraptured  sight  the  splen- 
dors of  his  finished  creations,  all  their  shining  ranks 
broke  forth  in  shouts  of  joy.  And  ever  from  that 
august  moment,  even  unto  these  dark  hours,  they 
have  high  ministries  performed  between  heaven  and 
earth. 

Are  the  good  angels  specially  interested  in  the  good 
of  earth !    And  luhy  ? 

It  was  by  an  apostate  of  their  own  race  and  rank 
that  the  pure  and  fair  creatures  of  Paradise  were 
seduced.  The  terrible  curse  and  blight  of  sin  and 
pain  and  death  was  wrought  by  the  malicious  skill 
of  angelic  envy.  As  the  unsinning  seraphs  survey 
the  ceaseless  sorrows  of  our  world,  they  cannot  but 
feel  most  humiliating  shame  and  sadness  that  those 
who  were  once  pure  and  loyal  as  themselves,  their 
own  blissful  associates,  blest  with  the  smiles  of  the 
same  loving  Creator,  should  have  been  the  betray- 
ers of  a  race  fashioned  for  supreme  delights. 

By  the  invasion  of  Eden  all  the  holy  angels  were 
defamed.  And  naturally  they  are  intensely  anx- 
ious to  aid  in  undoing  the  cruel  work  of  the  spir- 
its of  darkness.  It  must  afford  them  peculiar  pleas- 
ure to  be  able  to  defeat,  in  any  measure,  the  hate- 
ful designs  and  prevent  the  malevolent  intent  of  the 
angelic  traitors.  By  all  the  instincts  of  self-vindi- 
cation, by  all  the  pride  of  untainted  loyalty,  by  all 
their  infinite  hatred  of  rebellion,  by  all  their  love  of 


26  FOOT- PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

purity  and  peace,  by  their  supreme  devotion  to  the 
hope  of  a  universe  redeemed,  they  joyfully  bring  all 
their  wisdom  and  strength  and  skill  into  unceasing 
conflict  with  the  powers  of  darkness. 

Moreover,  their  holy  natures  throb  with  pity  and 
compassion  for  the  poor  victims  of  satanic  decep- 
tion ;  and  their  love  for  those  who  are  struggling 
for  redemption  knovvs  no  limit.  With  vast  knowl- 
edge of  the  human  heart  and  mind,  and  clear  fore- 
sight of  the  adroit  devices  of  the  devil,  they  keenly 
sympathize  with  us  in  our  exposure  to  temptation 
and  assault,  and  gladly  interpose  their  higher  skill 
and  power  to^strike  the  poisoned  darts  from  the  up- 
lifted hand  of  the  cruel  and  crafty  foe.  In  bands 
and  troops,  led  by  their  invincible  Michael,  they 
sorely  press  the  traitor  hordes  on  every  field,  and 
crown  many  a  sanguine  battle  with  triumph  for  the 
friends  of  God. 

The  holy  angels  are  specially  interested  in  our 
race  as  the  objects  of  the  Saviour's  love  and  re- 
demptive work.  They  are  indissolubly  bound  to 
Christ  by  the  profoundest  affections  of  their  being. 
They  joined  hands  in  holy  worship  around  the  cra- 
dle of  his  infancy.  They  love  and  adore  him  as  the 
only  Son  of  God.  Their  admiration  is  boundless 
as  they  see  in  him  the  promised  and  certain  victor 
of  the  evil  angels,  and  the  rightful  and  mighty  ruler 
of  our  alien  world.  In  lofty  acclaim,  which  startles 
the  dark  conclave  of  the  demons,  they  cast  their 
crowns  at  Jesus'  feet,  and  enter  with  keen  delight 
into  his  divinely  conceived  movement  for  the  defeat 
of  the  arch-fiend  and  the  ransom  and  recovery  of  his 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  27 

deluded  followers.  Christ's  infinite  love  of  men 
they  deeply  share  ;  and  in  his  conquests  and  king- 
ship their  highest  and  holiest  aspirations  are  crowned. 
As  allies  of  Jesus  they  are  the  "ministering  spirits" 
of  the  saints,  sent  forth  to  "serve"  the  heirs  of  sal- 
vation. 

The  good  angels  are  an  host.  Though  the  fallen 
ones  are  legion^  their  secession  did  not  seriously 
decimate  the  holy  race.  The  loyal  angels  are  spoken 
of  in  Scripture  in  terms  which  imply  that  their 
number  baffles  human  computation.  Jesus  said  he 
could  in  an  instant  call  to  his  aid  more  than  twelve 
legions.  They  by  far  outnumber  the  traitors.  There 
are  more  of  them  than  there  are  of  righteous  men, 
living  and  dead.  They  can  fortify  every  point  of 
assault,  '^ encamp"  around  all  who  fear  God,  es- 
cort all  the  armies  of  the  saints,  hold  an  invincible 
shield  over  all  the  messengers  of  truth,  cover  with 
their  flashing  cimeters  every  sad,  weeping,  friend- 
less orphan,  furnish  a  body  guard  for  every  Laza- 
rus, keep  vigil  at  every  sick  bed,  supply  pall  bear- 
ers for  every  funeral  cortege,  and  stand  sentinel  at 
every  grave,  and  then  have  a  reserved  force  of  ten 
thousand  times  ten  thousand,  even  thousands  of 
thousands. 

The  good  angels  are  very  strong.  Finite  beings, 
infinitely  below  their  Creator,  they  are  inconceiva- 
bly more  powerful  than  men.  Each  one  of  them 
has  the  strength  of  an  hundred  Hercules.  A  single 
one  of  them  by  his  good  right  arm  smote  an  hun- 
dred and  eighty-five  thousand  Assyrians  in  one 
night ;  and  one  angel  destroyed  in  the  space  of  a 


28  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

few  hours,  "all  the  first-born  of  Egypt,  both  of  man 
and  beast."  And  in  Revelation  four  angels  are 
said  "to  hold  the  four  winds  of  heaven."  The  Holy 
Book  declares  that  they  '•^excel  in  strength."  ^^Ex- 
cer  not  God  nor  Christ,  but  all  finite  beings ;  even 
the  apostate  angels ;  for  a  loyal  archangel  must 
possess  more  power  than  an  '^archangel  ruined.'* 
We  may  not  doubt  that  these  first-born  children  of 
light  could,  if  Jehovah's  name  or  cause  required  it, 
dissolve  our  entire  planetary  system,  crush  the 
whole  frame  of  nature,  and  pile  wrecked  worlds  in 
heaps.  Yet  the  tender  infant  of  days  is  as  safe  in 
their  keeping,  as  if  it  were  slumbering  in  the  bosom 
of  God. 

The  wisdom  and  knowledge  of  the  holy  angels 
must  be  equal  to  their  strength.  Created  in  type 
of  intelligence  next  to  that  of  the  Infinite,  and 
schooled  in  the  developments  of  providence  for  at 
least  six  thousand  years,  what  Pisgahs  of  knowledge 
they  must  have  reached  who  can  conceive?  Famil- 
iar with  the  works  of  God,  constant  messengers  to 
all  worlds,  how  vast  their  understanding  of  natural 
and  sentient  forces  !  How  easily  they  comprehend 
the  circumstances  and  even  the  hidden  thoughts  of 
men  and  fiends  ! 

And  then  their  scope  of  vision !  A  few  years 
since  there  was  a  boy  in  Kentucky,  born  with  a  tel- 
escopic eye.  He  could  look  into  the  face  of  the 
planets  without  the  aid  of  a  glass,  and  describe 
their  surfaces  with  wonderful  accuracy.  It  was 
called  a  freak  of  nature  ;  but  we  believe  it  was  a 
slight  intimation  of  the  primal  power  of  human  vis- 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  29 

ion.  But  what  was  tiiat  compared  to  the  grasp  of 
an  angel's  eye  !  The  scope  of  seraphic  vision,  un- 
dimmed  by  the  mists  of  evil,  unclouded  by  the  night 
of  sin  !  The  good  angels  are  not  omniscient.  But 
that  they  can  sweep  with  a  single  glance 

"Tenfold  the  length  of  this  terrene" 
who  dares  to  doubt? 

And  these  are  they,  the  guardians  of  the  good  of 
earth ;  the  sleepless  watchers  of  our  lives  and  des- 
tinies :  sentinels  at  the  gates  of  danger  ;  cherubim 
with  flaming  sword,  flashing  every  way  in  the  face 
of  all  invaders  of  our  peace  ;  the  benign  messengers 
sent  from  Heaven  to  guide  homeward  the  wander- 
ing children  of  sorrow.  Though  they  salute  us  with 
no  audible  voices,  and  cheer  us  by  no  visible  signs, 
their  presence  and  their  ministries  are  as  real  as 
when  they  announced  the  birth  of  Jesus  with  song 
and  flashing  glory. 

THE    MINISTRY    OF    ANGELS    IN    THE    OLD    TESTAMENT. 

The  "service"  of  the  holy  angels  in  the  govern- 
ment and  redemption  of  our  world  is  as  clearly  a 
subject  of  Old  Testament  record  as  the  exodus,  the 
call  of  Abram,  or  the  creation  of  man.  The  in- 
spired history  of  pre-Messianic  times  is  replete  with 
the  presence  and  power  of  the  seraphic  race.  They 
are  the  aid-de-camps  of  the  Throne  ;  the  unrecog- 
nized plenipotentiaries  of  all  courts  and  councils  ; 
often  the  divinely  commissioned  arbiters  of  the  des- 
tiny of  nations  and  of  men.  They  guide,  protect, 
deliver,  punish,  destroy.  The  patriarchal  ages  knew 
their  voices,  and  were  familiar  with  their  visitations. 


30  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

The  demons  recognized  and  dreaded  their  avenging 
hand. 

It  is  highly  probable  that  in  all  the  instances, 
narrated  in  the  first  fifteen  chapters  of  Genesis,  in 
which  the  Lord  is  said  to  have  spoken  to  Noah,  Lot 
and  Abraham,  the  audible  voice  was  that  of  an  an- 
gel— Jehovah  speaking  by  his  commissioned  mes- 
sengers. It  may  be  assumed  without  violence  to 
the  Sacred  Oracles  that  God  has  usually  spoken  to 
man  by  his  holy  angels,  excepting  when  he  has 
spoken  by  the  prophets,  or  by  his  Son.  As  in  Heb. 
2  :  2,  "If  the  word  spolien  by  angels  was  steadfast, 
and  every  transgression  received  a  just  recompense 
of  reward,"  the  reference  being,  without  doubt,  to 
what  the  Lord  said  to  Noah  and  Lot. 

But  the  earliest  and  one  of  the  most  pathetic 
cases  of  explicitly  stated  angelic  intervention  is 
that  of  Hagar,  twice  banished  by  the  jealousy  of 
her  mistress.  In  the  desolate  desert,  alone  with 
her  ill-starred  boy,  the  bread  and  water  exhausted, 
she  sat  apart  from  her  starving  child,  her  mother's 
heart  unable  to  bear  the  pangs  of  his  terrible  death, 
and  sent  into  the  veiled  heavens  her  cry  of  wild  de- 
spair, mingled  with  the  dying  moans  of  the  lad  who 
was  more  the  fruit  of  Sarah's  pride  than  of  his 
slave  mother's  sin.  There  was  silence  in  heaven. 
The  sobbings  of  two  breaking  hearts  had  touched 
the  bosom  of  God.  An  '''■angel  called  to  Hagar, 
out  of  heaven,  and  said  unto  her.  What  aileth  thee, 
Hagar?  Fear  not,  for  God  hath  heard  the  voice  of 
the  lad  where  he  is.  Arise,  lift  up  the  lad  and  hold 
him  in  thine  hand,  for  I  will  make  of  him  a  great 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  31 

nation.  And  God  opened  her  eyes,  and  she  saw  a 
well  of  water ;  and  she  went  and  filled  the  bottle 
with  water,  and  gave  it  to  the  lad  to  drink."  We 
know  whose  sturdy  hand  broke  the  turf  of  that 
wild  wilderness  soil  and  drew  from  the  depths  the 
sweet  cooling  beverage,  and  bade  the  happy  mother 
bear  it  to  the  parched  lips  of  her  precious  offspring. 
This  was  the  first  rich  chance  for  a  seraph  to  show 
his  deep  pure  sympathy  with  human  suffering.  And 
with  eager  joy  did  he  make  the  most  of  it.  Let  all 
the  Hagars  of  our  world's  dark  history  of  jealousy 
and  desertion  know  that  when  there  is  no  earthly 
ear  to  hear,  nor  heart  to  pity,  their  penitent,  im- 
ploring prayer  will  have  a  hearing  in  heaven. 

When  Abraham  was  an  hundred  years  old  save 
one,  sitting  at  noontide  heat  in  the  opening  of  his 
tent,  he  was  surprised  by  the  approach  of  three 
strangers  in  the  garb  of  eastern  travelers.  There 
was  a  royalty  in  their  persons  and  bearing  to  which 
the  well-bred  patriarch  at  once  responded  by  ad- 
vancing and  bowing  himself  to  the  ground,  and  of- 
fering the  ample  hospitalities  of  his  station  as  the 
"chief  Sheik"  of  that  land. 

Now,  as  the  sequel  shows,  these  strangers  were 
angelic  messengers  direct  from  the  court  of  God, 
charged  with  wonderfully  interesting  and  impor- 
tant intelligence  for  Abraham,  and  with  an  an- 
nouncement of  the  gravest  and  grandest  national 
import.  They  had  come  to  reveal  Jehovah's  pur- 
pose and  promise  to  raise  up  from  the  loins  of  the 
age-stricken  patriarch  a  seed  that  should  outnum- 
ber the  sands  of  the  seashore  ;  a  royal  nation  who, 


32  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

including  the  lineage  of  faith,  shall  constitute  the 
rightful  and  everlasting  citizenship  of  a  kingdom 
universal,  whose  peaceful  and  plentiful  domain  shall 
stretch  from  shore  to  shore,  from  the  rivers  to  the 
ends  of  the  earth ;  whose  glory  shall  never  tarnish, 
whose  beauty  fadeth  not,  whose  sceptre  shall  never 
change  hands,  whose  throne  shall  stand  forever, 
whose  sweet  virgin  soil  shall  never  be  desecrated  by 
alien  feet,  whose  streets  shall  never  echo  the  plain- 
tive cry  of  oppression,  whose  flowering  hills  shall 
give  back  no  prayer  for  bread.  This  trio  of  angels 
from  heaven  had  come  down  to  the  plains  of  Mamre 
to  announce  to  incredulous  Sarah  and  highly  pleased 
Abraham  that  a  child  of  singular  divine  intentions, 
and  of  wonderfully  typical  character,  should  be 
born  to  them  in  their  extreme  old  age.  And  against 
science  and  the  laws  of  nature  that  strange  angelic 
announcement  stood  fast.  Never  has  any  seraph 
gone  forth  from  the  presence  of  the  Most  High  to 
any  world,  nation,  people  or  person  with  uncertain 
tidings.  The  "word  spoken  by  angels"  is  the  ut- 
terance of  the  lips  of  God  ;  and  though  thrones  and 
dominions  and  principalities  and  powers  conspire  to 
thwart  its  accomplishment,  not  one  jot  or  tittle  shall 
fail. 

But  that  same  angelic  band  was  on  double  minis- 
try intent.  With  other  and  strangely  diverse  w^ork 
they  were  charged.  AYhen  they  had  finished  dining 
with  Abraham,  with  cakes  warm  from  the  hearth, 
and  butter  and  milk  and  the  fatted  calf  for  viands, 
and  the  friendly  shade  of  the  tall  graceful  palms 
for  a  shelter  ;  and  had  delivered  with  the  dignity  of 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  33 

state  their  instructions  to  the  wondering  aged  pair, 
they  went  on  their  way  toward  the  self-doomed  cities 
of  the  plain.  At  even,  as  the  babbling  sounds  of 
Sodom's  lewdness  rose  towards  the  shuddering 
skies,  two  angels  entered  the  gates  and  stood  in  the 
presence  of  the  only  righteous  man  in  all  that  me- 
tropolis. It  was  their  wish  to  spend  the  night  in 
the  open  streets,  taking  unseen,  swift  witness  of 
their  crying  abominations,  but  Lot's  importunities 
drew  them  at  length  into  his  dwelling,  where  they 
warned  him  to  quickly  gather  together  all  his  family 
and  substance,  and  hasten  out  of  the  city,  saying, 
"For  u-e  will  destroy  this  place  .  .  .  for  the  Lord 
hath  sent  us  to  destroy  it.'*  During  the  night  the 
lecherous  rabble  assailed  Lot's  house  and  attempted 
to  break  in  the  doors,  when  the  angels  put  forth 
their  hands  and  smote  them  all  with  blindness — a 
slight  example  of  their  power  over  men  and  the 
forces  of  nature. 

At  the  break  of  day  those  ministers  of  mercy  to 
Lot  and  of  wrath  to  Sodom  hastened  the  elect  out 
of  the  doomed  enclosures,  and  when  they  hesitated 
they  laid  hold  of  them  and  drew  them  forth,  and 
bade  them  flee  for  their  lives.  And  when  they  were 
safe  in  Zoar,  just  as  the  rising  sun  poured  its  reluc- 
tant light  in  upon  the  lingering  orgies  of  the  cor- 
rupted multitudes,  the  angels  waved  their  hands 
toward  heaven,  and  bursting  from  the  clouds  came 
avenging  torrents  of  brimstone  and  fire  ;  and  the 
smoke  of  their  swift  and  appalling  destruction  rose 
over  all  the  country  and  mantled  the  hills,  as  if  to 
hide  from  the  heavenly  hosts  the  revolting  spectacle 


34  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

of  a  people  so  debauched  that  they  did  not  know 
their  right  hand  from  their  left.  And  therein  was  a 
gloomy  type  of  another  scene  yet  to  come,  in  the 
end  of  the  ages,  with  which  the  avenging  angels 
will  be  as  closely  connected  as  with  this. 

But  now  we  turn  our  eyes  to  a  spot  consecrated 
by  one  of  the  most  pleasing  and  inspiring  angelic 
manifestations  to  be  found  in  the  Sacred  Annals. 

Jacob,  fleeing  from  the  wrath  of  his  brother  Esau, 
found  himself  at  the  close  of  day  weary  and  shelter- 
less, a  lonely  fugitive,  in  the  midst  of  an  open  field, 
with  only  the  darkness  for  a  curtain  and  the  sleep- 
less stars  for  sentinels.  Gathering  a  few  stones  for 
his  pillow  he  composed  his  tired  limbs  for  a  little 
sleep.  Never  before  did  so  hard  a  pillow  bring 
dreams  so  sweet,  or  couch  so  rude  attract  visitors 
so  royal.  In  his  slumbers  he  saw  a  ladder — or  more 
likely  a  mountain  with  indented  sides — reaching 
from  earth  to  heaven,  thronged  with  angels,  coming 
and  going  with  tireless  feet,  on  errands  of  peace 
and  blessing,  between  God's  footstool  and  his 
throne.  Royal  embassy  !  Not  to  court  or  council, 
but  to  one  lone  wanderer  sunk  to  defenceless  rest 
on  the  bare  bosom  of  the  pitying  ground.  What 
type  and  prophecy  are  here  of  cherubic  vigils  over 
the  weary  and  exposed  pilgims  of  this  vale  of  sor- 
rows, this  wilderness  of  sighs !  But  it  was  only  a 
dream.  Well,  does  not  angelic  presence  oft  inspire 
the  beauty  of  our  nightly  visions  ?  Without  a  doubt 
the  shining  ones,  whom  Jacob  saw  coming  from 
heaven  and  going  to  heaven,  were  grouped  around 
bis  pillow  of  stone,  watching  the  happy  workings  of 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  35 

his  face,  turned  towards  the  stars,  as  they  suffused 
his  mind  with  visions  of  their  own  tender  ministries 
to  the  troubled  friends  of  God.  Well  might  Jacob 
have  called  the  lonely  spot  of  that  night's  slumbers 
Bethel — the  house  of  God — and  set  up  a  stone  in 
memory  of  the  wonders  he  had  seen  in  his  dream. 
Angelic  hands  can  change  a  rough  and  rocky  couch 
to  a  restful  bed,  and  make  an  heap  of  stones  "feel 
soft  as  downy  pillows  are.'* 


CHAPTER   IV. 
The  j4oly  flngels. 


It  is  true  that  the  doctrine  of  the  ministration  of 
angels  has  been  the  occasion  of  fanatical  extrava- 
gances. In  the  fifth  century  the  ^' Feast  of  St. 
Michael"  was  instituted,  which  was  celebrated  in 
honor  of  the  angels  ;  and  still  earlier  Ambrose  and 
others  insisted  on  the  invocation  of  angels  ;  and  the 
Phrygian  sect  of  ''Angelici"  practised  for  a  time  the 
idolatrous  adoration  of  angels.  But  the  Laodicean 
Council  condemned  their  views  as  heretical. 

Sure  it  is  that  our  heavenly  visitants,  in  all  their 
varied  ministries,  have  never  by  act  or  word  invited 
adoration.  They  have  always  appeared  as  simple 
messengers  from  Heaven  and  servers  of  men.  If 
the  doctrine  of  angels — or  any  Bible  truth — is  to  be 
rejected  because  of  fanatical  abuses,  alas  !  for  the 
Holy  Oracles.  Satan,  the  arch  fiend,  is  the  only  one 
of  all  the  seraphic  race  to  set  himself  up  as  an  ob- 
ject of  worship.  And  he  was  so  crushingly  rebuked 
by  the  Son  of  God  that  he  has  never  repeated  the 
experiment.  The  good  angels  find  sufficient  happi- 
ness in  their  holy  and  enrapturing  trusts  as  the  high 
ministers  of  the  Throne  in  the  sublime  economy  of 


IN  FIELDS  OB'  REVELATION.  37 

redemption.  Let  us  resume  our  joyful  meditations 
of  their  loving  and  mighty  interventions  in  the  his- 
tory of  our  race  and  world. 

In  the  34th  Psalm  occurs  an  expression  at  once 
most  forcibly  and  touchingly  descriptive  of  angelic 
protection  and  deliverance.  "The  angel  of  the  Lord 
encampeth  round  about  them  that  fear  him,  and  de- 
Uvereth  them."  The  righteous  are  like  a  slender 
band  in  an  open  plain,  exposed  on  every  side  to 
malignant  demoniacal  assault,  having  in  their  own 
control  no  means  of  defence,  no  fortifications  to 
cover  them,  no  shelter  from  the  merciless  fury  of  the 
army  of  fiends,  marching  on  them  from  every  point. 
But  happily  the  loyal  angels,  "who  excel  in  strength," 
are  not  forced  to  look  on  silently  and  see  the  hapless 
victims  of  infernal  cunninsr  and  malice  utterlv  de- 
stroyed  by  the  traitorous  insurgents.  But  the  holy 
warriors  of  Heaven,  the  angels  of  the  Lord  armed 
with  high  commission,  appear  on  the  field,  unseen  it 
may  be  by  the  fearing  and  trembling  saints,  and 
pitch  their  white  tents  in  serried  lines  close  around 
the  friends  of  God,  and  spread  over  their  "defence- 
less heads"  their  shields  of  invincible  skill  and 
power.  "The  angel  of  the  Lord  encampeth  round 
about  them  that  fear  him."  They  do  not  come  and 
go  simply  in  great  and  dire  perils,  just  when  the 
righteous  are  well  nigh  lost ;  but  they  tent  on  the 
field,  they  are  never  absent,  but  always  on  duty,  full 
armed  and  vigilant;  not  like  Sheridan — "twenty 
miles  away" — when  some  sudden  assault  is  made, 
breaking  the  lines  and  scattering  the  saints  in  panic 
and  dismay.     Their  commissions  run  to  the  end  of 


38  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

mortal  danger  and  strife.  They  will  not  relax  their 
herculean  arms,  nor  withdraw  the  lines  of  their  de- 
fences, till  their  Lord  and  our  Lord  shall  have  made 
the  conquest  of  the  world,  and  crushed  out  beneath 
his  victorious  chariot  wheels  the  last  of  his  enemies 
and  ours. 

'"Encampeth  round  about."  They  cannot  be 
flanked.  They  leave  open  no  exposed  gap  inviting 
massed  attack.  They  are  a  cloud  of  darkness,  as 
between  Israel  and  Pharaoh's  pursuing  hosts  ;  a  wall 
of  consuming  fire  between  God's  people  and  their 
Satanic  invaders  ;  a  front  guard  and  rereward  of 
two-edged  swords,  turning  every  way  to  keep  the 
camp  of  Israel,  as  the  cherubim  kept  the  tree  of  life 
amid  the  faded  splendors  of  Eden. 

"Oh  not  wholly  lost,  our  Father !  is  this  evil  world  of  ours : 
Upward  through  its  blood  and  ashes  spring  afresh  its  Eden 

flowers ; 
From  its  smoking  hell  of  battle  love  and  pity  send  their  prayer. 
And  the  white-winged  angels  hover  dimly  in  our  earthly  air." 

In  the  year  of  King  Uzziah's  death  the  prophet 
Isaiah,  who  lived  in  an  atmosphere  suffused  with 
heavenly  manifestation,  was  enveloped  by  such  over- 
mastering views  of  the  holiness  of  Jehovah,  and  the 
purity  and  devotion  of  the  attendants  upon  his  im- 
mediate presence,  that,  smitten  to  the  heart  by  a 
sense  of  his  own  impurity,  he  cried  out,  "Woe  is 
me  !  for  I  am  undone  ;  because  I  am  a  man  of  un- 
clean lips  ;  for  mine  eyes  have  seen  the  King,  the 
Lord  of  hosts." 

Then  one  of  the  seraphim  took  a  live  coal  from 
the  altar  and,  swiftly  flying  to  the  prostrated  prophet, 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  39 

pressed    it   to   his   lips,  saying,  "Thine  iniquity  is 
taken  away,  and  thy  sin  is  purged." 

This  is  the  only  instance  where  ^'-seraphim'"  is  ap- 
plied to  angels.  The  word  means  burning,  to  burn; 
and  the  use  of  it  in  this  case  may  indicate  a  particu- 
lar class  of  angelic  beings  who  are  nearest  God  and 
specially  charged  with  holy  offices  in  the  work  of  re- 
demption. They  are  described  as  having  physical 
form,  with  ^'-face''  and  "/eei"  and  '^wings^''  always 
ready  for  flight,  under  special  divine  mandate,  on 
errands  of  mercy  and  grace.  ^^ Seraphim'* — burning 
— must  indicate  their  ardent,  superhuman  zeal  in 
serving  Jehovah  in  visitations  of  salvation  to  men. 
And  the  appearance  of  the  seraphim  to  Isaiah  was 
to  qualify  and  commission  him  for  a  special  and 
most  important  ministration  to  his  people  Israel. 

But  let  it  be  noted  that  the  seraphim  took  the 
"live  coal"  from  the  ''^ altar,"  showing  that  in  him- 
self there  was  no  power  to  purge  Isaiah's  iniquity. 
Of  the  divine  compassion  and  grace,  which  take 
away  sins,  the  holy  angels,  even  the  seraphim,  are 
only  the  administrators.  But  that  they  are  both 
messengers  and  administrators  is  so  clearl}^  revealed 
that  to  deny  it  would  be  the  repudiation  of  revelation 
itself. 

"Are  they  not  all  ministering  spirits,  sent  forth  to 
do  service  for  the  sake  of  them  that  shall  inherit  sal- 
vation?" Heb.  1:  14,  "For  if  the  word  spoken 
through  angels  proved  steadfast,  and  every  trans- 
gression and  disobedience  received  a  just  recom- 
pense of  reward,  how  shall  we  escape  if  we  neglect 
so  great  salvation?"     Heb.  2:2.     "Which  of  the 


40  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

prophets  did  not  your  fathers  persecute?  and  they 
killed  them  which  shewed  before  of  the  coming  of 
the  Just  One  ;  of  whom  ye  have  now  become  be- 
trayers and  murderers  ;  ye  who  received  the  law  as 
it  was  ordained  by  angels,  and  keep  it  not."  Acts 
7:53. 

In  the  light  of  these,  and  many  other  correlative 
scriptures,  is  it  not  infidelity  to  the  Word  of  God  to 
question  that  to  the  holy  angels  are  committed  im- 
portant ministerial  and  administrative  trusts  in  the 
work  of  salvation  and  restitution  ? 

Moreover  it  is  a  matter  of  inspired  certainty  that 
angels  have  been  sent  to  convey  to  men  lyrophetical 
instructions.  Not  possessed  in  themselves  of  fore- 
knowledge, they  are  charged  with  revelations  of  God 
to  his  servants.  Not  always  fully  understanding  the 
import  of  their  instructions,  they  are  plenipotentia- 
ries of  Heaven,  bearing  to  the  holy  seers  information 
of  coming  events ;  and  sometimes  upon  their  com- 
munications the  destinies  of  great  peoples  and  na- 
tions depend  ;  they  are  embassadors  from  Heaven  to 
earth ;  and  disregard  of  their  ministries  and  mes- 
sages is  fatal  alike  to  nations  and  to  men. 

No  portion  of  inspired  revelation  is  more  interest- 
ing or  nuportant  than  the  prophecy  of  Daniel.  His 
predictions  run  to  the  end  of  mortal  years  ;  cover  all 
the  great  governments  of  the  world  ;  include  the 
Messianic  advent,  the  crucifixion  and  resurrection, 
the  return  of  Christ  to  this  earth,  the  reliving  of  all 
the  dead,  the  destruction  of  evil,  the  regenesis  of 
nature,  and  the  establishment  of  an  everlasting  king- 
dom on  the  ruins  of  the  Csesarism  of   all 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  41 

kingdom  of  righteousness  and  peace.  And  ranch  of 
Daniel's  instruction  came  to  him  through  the  lips  of 
an  angel ;  the  key  which  unlocked  the  mystery  of 
the  unseen  eras  was  furnished  to  the  prophet  by 
angel  hands.  Vov  much  which  Daniel  predicted, 
Michael  was  the  authority.  And  the  "words  spoken 
by  angels"  to  the  prophets  have  stood,  are  standing, 
will  stand  fast.  Around  the  angelic  revealmeuts  of 
prophetic  events  the  tumultuous  centuries  have 
surged  and  broken  like  the  waves  of  Algesiras  against 
unconscious  Gibraltar.  Above  the  wreck  of  all 
earthly  thrones  and  powers,  and  of  the  earth  itself, 
the  angelic  messages  will  rise,  imperishable  peaks  of 
inspired  truth,  evermore  reflecting  the  glory  of  Christ 
in  the  redemption  of  men. 

Daniel  was  a  captive  in  a  foreign  land,  but  he  was 
true  to  the  traditions  of  his  people  and  to  the  God 
of  his  fathers.  He  resisted  the  fascinations  and 
corruptions  of  court  life,  and  challenged  the  admi- 
ration of  his  enemies  by  the  exalted  purity  and  dig- 
nity of  his  character  and  conduct.  And  Jehovah 
honored  him  as  few  men  have  been  honored  in  tlie 
divine  administration. 

But  the  preferments  bestowed  upon  Daniel  by  the 
king  awakened  in  the  hearts  of  the  officials  the  most 
cruel  jealousy,  and  by  a  wicked  plot  the  young  He- 
brew captive  was  cast  into  a  den  of  ferocious  lions. 
The  lions  were  very  hungry,  and  the  beautiful  young 
Hebrew,  full  of  blood  and  life,  would  furnish  a 
precious  and  dainty  meal  for  their  voracious  appe- 
tites. Calmly  our  prophet  submitted  to  this  awful 
fate.     By  the  rude  hands  of  those  who  hated  him  he 


42  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

was  cast  down  among  the  beasts  howling  for  their 
prey,  and  the  king's  unalterable  signet  was  quickly 
placed  upon  the  stone  which  covered  the  mouth  of 
the  den.  The  king,  filled  with  sadness  and  horror, 
tied  to  his  chambers  and  refused  meat  or  music. 
We  instinctively  put  our  ear  close  down  to  the  great 
stone  with  the  royal  seal  upon  it,  and,  shuddering, 
listen  for  the  dying  moans  of  the  fair  martyr.  All 
is  still.  Have  the  merciless  animals  consumed  their 
sweet  morsel  so  quickly?  Was  the  terrible  agony 
soon  over?  Alas,  that  death  so  shameful  should 
have  come  to  one  so  true,  so  pure,  so  noble  of  blood, 
so  beloved  of  God  !  He  went  into  the  jaws  of  the 
lions  in  his  full  dress.  May  there  not  be  a  remnant 
of  his  garments  left,  precious  legacy  of  his  lofty 
heroism?  The  beasts  are  satiated  and  quiet.  Let 
us  peer  into  the  cavern.  Amazement  most  amazing  ! 
The  lions  are  lying  in  a  group  like  loving  lambs. 
The  light  of  unwonted  kindness  is  in  their  eyes. 
And  in  the  midst  sits  Daniel,  serene  as  a  seraph  in 
heaven,  busying  his  unsoiled  fingers  with  the  shaggy 
manes  of  his  charmed  companions.  Scene  most 
wonderful !  Miracle  most  stupendous  !  What  strange 
power  is  here  ?  Look  again  !  The  den  is  wondrous 
radiant.  Erect,  by  Daniel's  side,  with  right  hand 
laid  on  the  lions'  heads,  stands  a  holy  angel.  But  the 
voice  of  Darius  the  king  is  heard  :  ''0  Daniel,  servant 
of  the  living  God,  is  thy  God  whom  thou  servest 
continually  able  to  deliver  thee  from  the  lions  ?  Then 
Daniel  said  unto  the  king,  O  king,  live  for  ever.  My 
God  hath  sent  his  angel,  and  hath  shut  the  lions' 
mouths  that  they  have  not  hurt  me."     Who  dares 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  43 

dispute?  "What  Christian  wishes  to  deny  that  "the 
angel  of  the  Lord  encampeth  round  about  those  who 
fear  him,  and  delivereth  them"? 

But  more  than  once  or  thrice  was  Daniel  the 
prophet  visited  by  messengers  from  the  Throne.  He 
was  visited  by  dreams  and  visions  of  the  night  which 
covered  the  history  of  nations  from  his  day  to  the 
end  of  time  ;  the  rise  and  succession  of  the  four 
great  world  powers,  the  destruction  of  the  last  of 
them,  and  the  coming  of  the  King  of  kings  to  estab- 
lish a  kingdom  of  immutable  foundations,  whose 
domain  shall  stretch  far  and  wide,  even  "under  the 
whole  heavens."  These  visions  he  could  not  com- 
prehend. He  was  amazed  at  their  vastness  and 
grandeur.  Their  mighty  significance  oppressed  his 
strongest  thought.  His  mind  was  in  a  maze.  He 
made  long  and  earnest  supplication  to  Jehovah  for 
instruction,  and  an  angel  was  specially  commissioned 
to  explain  to  the  prophet  the  import  of  what  had  ap- 
peared to  him  in  visions  of  the  silent  night,  while 
"at  Shushan  in  the  palace."  "And  while  I  was 
speaking,  and  praying,  and  confessing  my  sin  and 
the  sin  of  my  people  Israel,  and  presenting  my  sup- 
plication before  the  Lord  my  God  for  the  holy  moun- 
tain of  my  God ;  yea,  while  I  was  speaking  in 
prayer,  even  the  man  Gabriel,  whom  I  had  seen  in 
the  vision  at  the  beginning,  being  caused  to  fly 
swiftly,  touched  me  about  the  time  of  the  evening 
oblation.  And  he  informed  me,  and  talked  with  me, 
and  said,  O  Daniel,  I  am  now  come  forth  to  give 
thee  skill  and  understanding."     Dan.  9  :  20-22. 

And  upon  the  explanations  and  instructions  given 


44  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS. 

by  the  angel  depends,  largely,  our  hope  of  the  Sav- 
iour's return,  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  and  the 
endless  reign  of  the  Son  of  God  on  the  throne  of 
David,  on  this  earth,  restored  to  Edenic  conditions. 
The  succession  of  prophetical  and  historical  events, 
the  meaning  and  ending  of  the  prophetic  numbers, 
the  ushering  in  of  the  '•Hime  of  the  end,''  the  appear- 
ing of  the  Ancient  of  days,  the  final  scenes  of  human 
history,  the  adjustment  of  the  eternal  order  of  nature 
and  of  ransomed  men,  were  all  included  in  the  inter- 
pretations of  Gabriel,  who  was  commanded  to  make 
Daniel  '•''understand  the  vision." 

If  any  are  anxious  to  know  why  the  great  code  of 
doctrines  called  Adventism  has  stood  the  test  of  half 
a  century's  popular  discredit  and  denunciation,  and 
still  holds  its  grip  on  the  faith  and  hope  and  love  of 
hundreds  of  thousands  of  God-fearing  Scripture- 
searchers,  we  will  answer  :  Because  Adventism  rests, 
in  an  essential  sense,  upon  interpretation  given  by 
holy  angels  sent  directly  from  the  world  of  light, 
from  the  throne  of  God. 


CHAPTER  V. 
The  Holy  Angels  in  the  Christian  flge. 


The  Christian  dispensation  dawned  in  resplen- 
dent display  of  angelic  manifestation.  Personally 
familiar  with  all  the  prophets,  interpreting  to  them 
their  most  intricate  predictions,  often  bringing  to 
them  wonderful  messages  direct  from  the  court  of 
God,  they  did  not  fail  to  comprehend,  in  outline  at 
least,  the  prophetic  travail  of  the  ages.  Standing 
near  the  Throne,  they  witnessed  with  wondering  de- 
light the  majestic  preparations  for  the  great  dispen- 
sational  change — the  new  order  of  priesthood  and 
princeship — and  made  themselves  ready  to  give  the 
coming  Heir  of  the  vacant  throne  of  David  a  recep- 
tion and  announcement  befitting  the  glory  of  his 
promised  conquest  and  endless  kingship.  From 
within  the  veil  they  noted  the  swift  progi*ess  of  the 
numbered  years  which  would  bring  the  advent  of 
"Messiah  the  Prince,"  and  looked  with  rapture  to 
the  hour  that  would  crown  the  august  event. 

Their  first  ministries  were  personal  and  private. 
They  withheld  their  anthems  till  the  supreme  mo- 
ment struck.  Jehovah's  preparations  are  often  un- 
noticed by  men.     Even  the  righteous  are  sometimes 


46  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

taken  m  glad  surprise.  A  great  glory  bursts  on  the 
hope  of  the  world  as  light  of  a  new  star  of  instan- 
taneous birth.  The  holy  angels  can  keep  "the  se- 
crets of  the  Lord"  till  the  appointed  time. 

Just  as  the  meridian  between  the  old  order  and 
the  new  was  nearing,  a  righteous  but  childless 
priest  was  burning  incense  in  the  temple  of  God, 
and  all  the  people  were  praying  without,  when  sud- 
denly there  appeared  unto  him  an  angel,  standing 
on  the  right  side  of  the  altar.  The  good  Zacharias 
was  overcome  with  fear  at  the  presence  of  his  shining 
visitor  from  worlds  unseen.  But  the  angel  soothed 
his  alarm  with  words  which  divided  his  heart  be- 
tween amazement  and  delight.  "Fear  not,  Zacha- 
rias," he  said,  "for  thy  prayer  is  heard,  and  thy 
wife  Elizabeth  shall  bear  thee  a  son,  and  thou  shalt 
call  his  name  John."  But  Zacharias,  remembering 
that  he  and  his  wife  Elizabeth  were  "well  stricken 
in  years,"  could  scarcely  accept  the  joyous  tidings, 
though  they  came  from  an  angel's  lips :  and  he  said, 
"Whereby  shall  I  know  this?  .  .  .  And  the  angel 
answered  and  said  unto  him,  I  am  Gabriel,  that 
stand  in  the  presence  of  God ;  and  am  sent  to 
speak  unto  thee,  and  to  show  thee  these  glad  tid- 
ings. And,  behold,  thou  shalt  be  dumb,  and  not 
able  to  speak  until  the  day  that  these  things  shall 
be  performed."  And  instantly  his  priestly  lips  were 
sealed,  and  he  beckoned  to  the  wondering  people 
and  remained  speechless. 

The  Messiah,  about  to  come,  must  needs  have  fit- 
ting heraldry.  And  this  John,  promised  by  Ga- 
briel, of  pure  Israelitish  blood,  the  first  and   only 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  47 

bora  of  a  priestly  family,  a  child  of  miracle,  was  to 
be  the  honored  forerunner,  messenger  of  the  mighty 
Prince,  the  long-looked-for  Redeemer.  He  was  to 
go  before  the  Christ,  in  the  spirit  and  power  of  Elias, 
to  make  ready  a  people  prepared  for  the  Lord. 

But  other  and  grander  aspects  of  God's  prepara- 
tion for  the  advent  of  his  Son  waited  attention. 
Other  minds  and  hearts  were  to  be  apprised  of  the 
order  and  imminence  of  the  greatest  and  grandest 
event  in  the  annals  of  the  universe.  And  six  months 
after  the  visit  to  Zacharias  Gabriel  was  again  dis- 
patched on  special  embassy.  But  now  to  Nazareth, 
a  city  of  Galilee.  A  poor,  but  fair  and  pure  Jew- 
ish virgin  was  espoused  to  a  young  man  then  un- 
known to  fame,  but  of  direct  lineage  from  the  house 
of  David :  and  the  virgin's  name  was  Mary.  One 
morning,  as  Mary  was  busy  with  her  household 
tasks,  cheerfully  humming  the  refrain  of  some  an- 
cient Hebrew  song,  the  imposing  figure  of  a  mighty 
angel  stood  on  the  threshold,  and  said  to  the  bewil- 
dered maiden,  "Hail.,  thou  that  art  highly  favored, 
the  Lord  is  with  thee ;  blessed  art  thou  among 
women.  And  when  she  saw  him  she  was  troubled 
at  his  saying,  and  cast  in  her  mind  what  manner  of 
salutation  this  should  be.  And  the  angel  said  unto 
her.  Fear  not,  Mary,  for  thou  hast  found  favor  with 
God.  And,  behold,  thou  shalt  conceive  in  thy 
womb,  and  bring  forth  a  son,  and  shalt  call  his 
name  Jesus.  He  shall  be  great,  and  shall  be  called 
the  Son  of  the  Highest ;  and  the  Lord  God  shall 
give  unto  him  the  throne  of  his  father  David ;  and 


48  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

he  shall  reign  over  the  house  of  Jacob  forever,  and 
of  his  kingdom  there  shall  be  no  end." 

During  the  period  from  Gabriel's  promise  to  Mary 
to  the  birth  of  her  son  the  Christ,  there  must  have 
been  a  strangely  intense  interest  among  the  angels 
in  heaven,  and  anxiety  as  well,  if  seraphs  know 
what  anxiety  means.  We  may  seem  to  see  them, 
gathered  in  radiant  groups  in  the  shadows  of  the 
throne,  interchanging  rapt  thoughts  concerning  the 
great  mystery.  Is  the  promised  son  of  Mary  to  be 
the  "seed  of  the  woman"  who  shall  bruise  the  head 
of  the  arch-traitor  of  their  race  ?  Will  the  virgin's 
son  Jesus  be  their  mighty  leader  and  Lord  who 
shall  commission  them  to  overthrow  and  utterly  de- 
stroy the  alien  hordes  ?  Will  this  heir  to  the  throne 
of  David,  under  their  angelic  ministrations  finally 
recover  Adam's  lost  dominion,  and  restore  the  Edenic 
beauty  and  glory  and  peace?  Will  this  child  of 
miracle,  whose  birth  and  greatness,  whose  kingdom 
and  sceptre  have  been  announced  by  Gabriel,  be 
able  to  annul  death  and  restore  forfeited  immortal- 
ity? Since  the  sons  of  God  shouted  for  joy  over 
the  finished  universe,  there  had  been  no  other  period 
of  interest  so  singular,  so  intense,  among  the  holy 
angels  as  the  waiting  for  Gabriel's  assurance  to 
Mary  to  reach  its  fulfillment.  Upon  the  issue  of 
those  few  strange  words  of  the  heavenly  messenger 
to  the  Hebrew  virgin  trembled  the  hopes  of  millions, 
dead,  living  and  unborn.  If  that  promised  miracu- 
lous birth  shall  fail,  no  star  of  Bethlehem  will  ever 
rise  over  Adam's  lost  world.  But  it  did  not  fail.  The 
promise  of   God,  by  the  mouth  of   his  holy  angel, 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  49 

stood  fast,  though  its  fulfilment  contradicted  reason 
and  disregarded  the  laws  of  nature. 

In  the  green  pastures,  on  the  Judean  slopes,  the 
shepherds  silently  "watched  their  flocks  by  night," 
leaning  half  slumberous  on  their  "friendly  crooks," 
when  suddenly  a  light  brighter  than  of  a  thousand 
morning  stars  suffused  the  sky  and  flooded  the  hills. 
To  their  astonished  eyes  there  appeared,  standing 
in  mid  air  above  them,  a  holy  angel,  in  attitude  of 
speech.  Sore  afraid,  the  simple  shepherds  covered 
their  faces  with  their  hands.  But  the  royal  visitant 
said  unto  them,  "Fear  not ;  for,  behold,  I  bring  you 
glad  tidings  of  great  joy,  which  shall  be  to  all  peo- 
ple. For  unto  you  is  born  this  day  in  the  city  of 
David  a  Saviour,  which  is  Christ  the  Lord.  And 
this  shall  be  a  sign  unto  you  ;  ye  shall  find  the  babe 
wrapped  in  swaddling  clothes,  lying  in  a  manger." 
And  waving  his  right  hand  towards  the  throne,  a 
full  vast  choir  of  the  heavenly  songsters  were  in- 
stantly at  his  side,  and,  breaking  the  midnight  si- 
lence, o'er  the  echoing  hills  rolled  the  mighty  an- 
them, "Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  and  on  earth 
peace,  good  will  toward  men." 

And  so  the  first  announcement  of  the  Saviour's 
birth  was  made  by  an  angel.  The  first  advent  ser- 
mon was  preached  by  an  angel.  The  first  redemp- 
tion song  e'er  sung  to  mortal  ears  burst  in  wondrous 
melody  from  a  thousand  angel  voices.  The  inaugu- 
ration of  the  gospel  age,  in  its  essential,  divine, 
saving  power,  was  made  by  the  Holy  Ghost  at  the 
Pentecost.  But  the  glorious  prelude  was  rendered 
in  vocal  music  of  a  multitude  of  holy  angels,  under 


50  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

the  nightly  skies  of  Bethlehem,  with  only  the  hum- 
ble, rustic  shepherds  and  the  listening  stars  for  an 
audience. 

"As  shepherds  watched  their  flocks  by  night, 

All  seated  on  the  ground, 
The  angel  of  the  Lord  came  down, 
And  glory  shone  around." 

Who  shall  question  that  the  administration  of  an- 
gels, which  so  bountifully  marked  the  old  dispensa- 
tion, has  come  over  into  the  neio?  The  opening  of 
the  gospel  era  is  resplendent  with  the  presence  and 
ministries  of  the  holy  angels  of  God.  And  all 
through  the  Christian  times  they  fulfill  what  the  in- 
spired Paul  has  said  of  them:  "To  which  of  the 
angels  said  he  at  any  time,  "Sit  on  my  right  hand, 
until  I  make  thine  enemies  thy  footstool?  Are  they 
— the  angels — not  all  ministering  spirits,  seyit  forth 
to  minister — ser-ve — for  them  who  shall  be  heirs  of 
salvation?"     Heb.  1  :   13,  14. 

Let  it  be  noted  that  this  statement  of  St.  Paul 
was  made  a  considerable  time  after  the  gift  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  at  the  Pentecost.  And  he  employs  the 
present  participle — ^ ''being  sent  forth" — the  sense  is 
continually^  as  their  appointed  regular  service  for  all 
ages.  And,  as  we  shall  show  by  and  by,  in  the  end 
of  this  age  the  angels  will  manifest  themselves,  and 
execute  personal  ministries,  more  grand,  awful, 
glorious,  than  any  of  their  past  achievements. 

THE    BABE    OF    BETHLEHEM    DELIVERED    BY    AN    ANGEL. 

At  the  time  of  the  Saviour's  birth  there  prevailed, 
among  the  intelligent  and  learned  classes,  a  pro- 
found belief   that  some  remarkable  personage  was 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  51 

about  to  appear  among  men,  who  would  change  the 
order  of  history  and  sway  a  scepter  of  unusual 
power  over  the  people.  In  the  East, — Arabia,  Per- 
sia, or  Mesopotamia —  some  Magi  or  Magians,  who, 
perhaps,  had  heard  by  tradition  of  the  prophecy  of 
Daniel  9  :  24,  saw,  suddenly  appearing  in  the  heav- 
ens, aluminous  body  or  meteor,  which  they  regarded 
as  a  signal  that  the  long  expected  wonderful  person 
had  made  his  advent  into  the  world.  Regarding 
Jerusalem  as  the  center  of  knowledge  concerning 
sacred  things  they  hastened  to  the  renowned  me- 
tropolis in  search  of  the  mighty  one  destined  to  be 
greater  and  wiser  than  any  man  or  god  who  had 
preceded  him.  Great  excitement  and  wonder  were 
awakened  in  the  city  by  the  visit  and  strange  story 
of  the  "wise  men  from  the  east." 

The  air  was  full  of  the  breath  of  prophecy.  Half 
articulate  voices  seemed  murmuring  in  the  skies  the 
forgotten  words  of  the  seers  of  God.  The  priests, 
ministering  in  the  temple  grew  suddenly  anxious. 
The  story  of  the  birth,  at  an  inn,  of  a  strangely 
beautiful  son  of  a  virgin  mother  spread  rapidly 
among  the  people.  Wonder  was  on  all  faces.  The 
more  devout  asked,  one  of  another,  what  if  it  shall 
be  the  promised  Messiah,  Israel's  long  expected 
King?  Herod  heard  the  ominous  whisperings  of 
the  multitude,  who  came  and  went  wnth  an  air  of 
curious  inquiry  ;  and  the  guilty  monarch  sat  uneasily 
on  his  throne  of  crime.  The  jealousy  of  his  low 
cunning  nature  was  fiercely  aroused.  He  knew  the 
tradition  of  the  Jews  that  some  day  the  3'oke  of  for- 
eign rule  would  be  broken   from  their  necks.     He 


52  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

feared  that  strange  birth  in  the  manger  meant  rival- 
ry of  his  scepter  and  his  crown.  Hastily  he  gath- 
ered together  all  the  priests  and  scribes  of  the  peo- 
ple, and  demanded  of  them  where  the  promised 
Messiah  should  be  born,  and  they  told  him  ''in 
Bethlehem  of  Judea."  And  then,  privately  calling 
the  Magi  he  questioned  them  closely  as  to  what 
time  the  "star  in  the  east"  appeared.  With  well 
concealed  intent  of  evil  he  bade  the  Magi  make  dili- 
gent search  for  the  young  child,  and  bring  him  word 
when  they  had  found  him.  But  one  of  greater  au- 
thority gave  orders  to  the  wise  men  ;  and  when  they 
had  bestowed  their  rich  gifts  of  gold,  frankincense 
and  myrrh  upon  the  precious  object  of  their  search, 
they  returned  by  another  way.  Herod,  foiled  in  his 
well-laid  strategy,  madly  issued  a  murderous  edict 
against  every  male  child  in  his  realm  under  the  age 
of  two  years.  Sure  was  he  now  of  reaching  that 
babe  of  days  whom  he  feared  more  than  all  the 
armed  men  of  his  kingdom. 

"What  a  moment  was  that  for  the  hope  of  the 
world !  On  that  young  life  in  the  manger  of  the 
inn,  hung  the  stupendous  scheme  of  redemption  for 
a  vast  race.  Let  Herod's  cruel  mandate  but  suc- 
ceed, and  mercy  for  man  is  forever  departed.  Poor 
and  helpless  are  Joseph  and  Mary  ;  and  all  uncon- 
scious of  the  king's  murderous  malice  toward  the 
infant  Jesus.  An  hour  is  sufficient  for  the  execu- 
tion of  the  fateful  order.  O  !  what  can  interpose 
between  that  throne  and  that  cradle? 

Another  mandate  is  issued.  And  quickly  as  light- 
ning flash,  a  seraph,  tall,  majestic,  with  burning  eye, 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  53 

stands  before  the  throne  in  Heaven,  with  strenorth 
enough  in  his  right  arm  to  overturn  a  world.  Swiftly 
descending  he  came  and  spread  his  unseen  shield 
over  that  babe  in  that  lowly  place.  And  when  the 
last  faint  echo  of  the  Magi's  departing  steps  had 
died  away,  a  voice  of  touching  kindness,  blended 
with  imposing  power,  fell  on  the  wondering  ears  of 
Joseph  and  the  mother  of  Jesus.  An  angel  stood 
beside  them,  "Herod  would  kill  thy  child,"  he  said, 
"But  I  am  come  to  give  thee  warning  and  safe  con- 
duct. Arise,  Joseph ;  and  take  the  young  child 
and  his  mother  and  flee  into  Egypt,  and  be  thou 
there  till  /shall  bring  thee  word." 

Instantly  they  obeyed  And  all  night  long,  under 
the  silent  stars,  they  made  their  anxious  journey, 
guided  by  the  strong,  radiant  form  of  their  angelic 
deliverer,  who  left  them  not  till  they  were  safe 
beyond  the  power  of  Herod's  officers  of  blood. 
Was  ever  a  life  so  precious  in  peril  so  startling! 
Was  ever  deliverance  so  signal,  so  momentous ! 
Was  ever  angelic  intervention  grander,  more  beauti- 
ful.! 

Nor  did  their. heavenly  guardian  forget  his  trust  ; 
for  when  Herod  was  dead  he  again  visited  Joseph 
and  Mary  in  Egypt,  and  escorted  them  to  their  own 
land.  How  beautiful !  The  holy  angels  keeping 
watch  over  the  child  Jesus  I  "He  shall  give  his  an- 
gels charge  concerning  thee,  and  in  their  hands 
they  shall  bear  thee  up  in  all  thy  ways,  lest  at  any 
time  thou  shouldst  dash  thy  feet  against  a  stone." 


CHAPTER   VI. 
^oly  flngels  Strengthen  the  Son  of  God. 


Amazing  transition  !  From  the  divine  overshad- 
owing and  visible  glory  of  the  baptism  the  Saviour 
hastened  to  the  mysterious  conflict  with  the  powers 
of  darkness  in  the  wilderness.  That  encounter  was 
fierce  and  protracted.  Satan  massed  all  his  subtle 
power  on  the  Son  of  God  at  the  threshold  of  his 
ministry.  He  had  vanquished  the  first  Adam  amid 
the  splendors  of  Eden,  and  he  meant  to  achieve  a 
more  brilliant  triumph  over  the  second  Adam  before 
he  should  be  able  to  exercise  a  single  function  of 
his  divine  ministry.  Jesus  could  not  avoid  the  con- 
flict. He  must  conquer  his  mighty  personal  foe  be- 
fore he  could  win  victories  for  his  followers.  The 
issue  made  up  in  Paradise  and  won  by  Satan  must 
be  recovered  by  Christ  in  the  wilderness  ere  he 
could  enter  upon  his  career  of  miracle  and  mercy 
for  a  race  enslaved  by  the  prince  of  darkness.- 

The  scene  of  the  struggle  was  in  the  wilderness, 
away  from  the  sight  and  sympathy  of  men.  As  yet 
Jesus  had  selected  no  ministry,  had  no  followers. 
He  must  fight  this  battle  single-handed  and  alone. 
He  must  demonstrate  the  prowess  of  his  own  per- 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  55 

sonal  might  unaided  by  heaven  or  earth.  If  he 
could  not  vanquish  the  chief  of  the  fallen  spirits  by 
his  intrinsic  power  it  were  vain  for  him  to  undertake 
the  ransom  of  the  captive  sons  of  men.  As  at  the 
death  on  the  cross,  so  now  even  his  Father  hid  his 
face.  His  own  arm  must  bring  salvation.  The 
holy  angels,  in  anxious  groups,  from  within  the 
shadows  watched  the  imposing  trial  of  skill  and 
power  between  the  lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  and 
the  ancient  seducer  of  the  head  of  a  new  race- 
The  issue  must  be  distinctly  made  and  the  result 
must  be  decisive.  No  word  or  sign  of  sympathy 
could  be  allowed  to  the  Nazarene.  Standing  alone 
face  to  face  with  the  mighty  traitor  he  must  conquer 
or  abandon  his  undertaking  of  a  world's  redemp- 
tion. Fierce  and  long  the  conflict  raged.  Again 
and  again  the  prince  of  perdition  changed  his  base 
of  assault,  and  readjusted  his  skillful  tactics.  Hun- 
gry and  weak  and  faint  the  Son  of  Jesse  held  his 
ground  and  repulsed  his  foe.  Each  well  chosen  on- 
set was  but  the  occasion  of  a  greater  triumph  for 
the  Saviour. 

And  when  at  last,  foiled,  defeated,  repulsed,  re- 
buked, Satan  sullenly  retreated  and  the  Christ  was 
crowned  with  victory  full,  complete,  then  holy  an- 
gels came  and  strengthened  him.  Jesus  was  a  man. 
He  had  all  the  attributes  of  a  human  being.  He 
ate  and  drank  ;  hungered  and  thirsted  ;  wept  and 
prayed.  And  when  he  emerged  from  that  terrible 
ordeal,  and  was  freed  from  the  fearful  pressure  of 
Satanic  power,  faint  from  long  fasting,  he  sank 
down  in  exhaustion,  and  craved  the  sympatliy  and 


56  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

aid  of  some  friendly  hand  and  voice.  The  holy 
ones  of  Heaven  clustered  around  him,  and  minis- 
tered to  his  weakness  and  his  sadness.  With  strong 
arms  they  held  him  up,  and  brought  him  water  and 
bread,  and  strengthened  him.  During  his  struggle 
with  the  devil  they  could  not  aid  him  by  act  of 
power,  or  look  of  love  ;  the  conquest  must  be  wholly 
his  own.  But  now  that  he  had  won,  and  conquered 
the  tempter  they  throng  him  in  tenderness  and  sus- 
taining might.  As  they  guarded  his  cradle  in  in- 
fancy so  now  they  minister  to  him  in  his  redemptive 
work. 

Here  is  a  majestic  truth.  The  angels  of  Heaven 
are  the  body-guard,  the  allies,  the  swift  and  power- 
ful ministers  of  the  Redeemer.  Through  all  his 
earthly  career  they  attended  him  day  and  night. 
They  were  and  still  are  his  messengers  of  love  and 
power.  Swift  of  wing  as  gleam  of  light,  powerful 
enough  to  control  demons  and  men  and  the  wildest 
forces  of  nature,  they  wait,  in  myriad  ranks  to  exe- 
cute his  will,  on  visits  of  comfort  to  his  followers 
sorely  buffeted  of  Satan  as  he  was  in  the  wilder- 
ness ;  on  errands  of  deliverance  from  personal  and 
mortal  peril ;  on  missions  of  state  controlling  the 
destinies  of  nations ;  on  embassies  of  judgment 
sweeping  away  the  foes  of  his  people  and  clearing 
the  way  for  the  proclamation  of  his  gospel  and 
opening  dark  continents  to  the  ingress  of  his  word  ; 
in  soothing  hearts  breaking  with  some  great  an- 
guish ;  and  healing  the  sick  who  are  ready  to  die  ; 
in  moving  redundant  wealth  to  feed  the  hungry  and 
clothe   the   naked.     Ten  thousand  times  ten  thou- 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  57 

sand,  stand  before  him.     Thousands  of  thousands 
minister  unto  him. 

THE    MYSTERIOUS    CRISIS. 

The  scene  of  the  great  mystery  in  Christ's  life 
was  laid  in  Gethsemane.  In  that  garden  of  olive 
trees,  in  the  silence  of  night,  heaven  and  earth 
came  together  in  the  inscrutable  agony  of  the  pros- 
trate Son  of  Mary.  In  that  awful  hour  justice  and 
mercy  met  face  to  face.  To  the  divinely  sensitive 
nature  of  Jesus  the  ghastly  horrors  of  death  by 
Roman  crucifixion  assumed  their  most  terrifying 
forms.  His  immaculate  human  being  shrank  af- 
frighted from  the  oppressive  spectacle.  Well  he 
knew  that  on  the  morrow,  faint  and  bleeding,  fol- 
lowed by  the  heartless  jeering  rabble,  led  on  by  the 
high  priests  wildly  clamoring  for  his  life,  he  would 
be  dragged  through  the  streets  of  his  own  beloved 
Jerusalem  to  the  ignominy  of  a  felon's  death.  He 
saw  the  dreadful  cross,  and  heard  the  cruel  blows 
that  drove  the  unwilling  nails  through  his  quivering 
flesh.  He  heard  the  mad  cry  of  those  who  should 
be  his  followers  and  defenders,  "Crucify  him,  cru- 
cify him."  He  saw  the  face  of  his  Father  in  Heaven 
turned  away  from  him,  the  sun  become  black  as 
sackcloth  of  hair,  and  felt  the  ground  tremble  with 
the  palsy  of  a  mighty  earthquake.  Before  the  aw- 
ful scene  his  human  heart  grew  faint,  and  in  his 
agony  of  soul  the  flesh  threatened  to  give  way. 

Beside,  and  more  terrible  still,  the  guilt  or  a 
world  came  rolling  in  as  an  ocean  of  darkness  upon 
his  spirit.     He  felt  the  awful  power  of  divine  wrath 


58  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

against  sin.  He  saw  the  flashing  Rghtning  of  the 
angry  law.  He  heard  the  thunder  of  incensed  holi- 
ness He  looked  toward  the  throne  and  it  was 
veiled  in  displeasure  while  justice  with  collected 
might  prepared  to  smite  his  defenceless  head. 

The  dread  crisis,  at  which  perdition  laughed  and 
Heaven  wept,  was  reached.  The  promise  of  God, 
the  triumph  of  Christ,  and  the  hopes  of  the  world 
hung  trembling  on  that  awful  moment.  "Father,  if 
it  be  possible,  let  this  cup  pass  from  me"  sadly  the 
sinking  Saviour  said,  and  for  a  moment  all  seemed 
lost,  when  swiftly  as  a  sunbeam  from  the  heart  of 
light,  AN  ANGEL  camc  and  strengthened  him,  and, 
girded  with  new  might,  firmly  he  added,  "Not  my 
will  but  thine  be  done."  The  crisis  was  passed 
and  all  was  safe.  Jehovah's  word  stood  fast.  The 
woman's  seed  had  stood  the  fiery  ordeal.  The  sul- 
len throne  of  darkness  was  vanquished.  Hope  rose 
benignly  over  a  lost  world. 

But  for  that  angeVs  visit  to  the  sufferer  in  the 
garden,  at  that  critical,  that  august  moment,  what 
might  have  been,  who  dares  to  contemplate  ?  Would 
his  human  nature  have  failed?  That  it  faltered  we 
know.  Was  there  real  danger?  Else  why  did 
Heaven  send  a  special  messenger  to  support  the 
lone  Jesus  in  the  matchless  struggle  ?  And  how  did 
the  timely  angel  strengthen  the  fainting  Son  of 
God?  Did  he  remind  him  of  the  glory  promised 
by  his  Father,  to  follow  the  suffering?  Did  he 
cause  to' flash  on  his  darkened  vision  the  splen- 
dors of  the  throne  and  kingdom  that  should  be  his 
forever   when   the   agony   and  darkness  should   be 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  59 

past?  Did  he  hold  before  his  quivering  view  the 
radiant  massive  crown  and  mighty  scepter  of  uni- 
versal lordship  awaiting  his  triumph  ?  Did  he  cause 
him  to  hear  the  acclaim  of  all  the  hosts  of  Heaven, 
and  the  great  song  of  all  the  redeemed  that  should 
rend  the  skies  w^hen  his  coronation  hour  should 
come  ?  Perhaps  he  laid  his  hand  above  his  break- 
ing heart  and  from  his  own  exhaustless  might  sent 
needed  power  through  the  faltering  forces  of  his 
human  frame,  giving  way  under  a  weight  of  anguish 
too  heavy  to  be  borne  by  one  in  mortal  form.  Per- 
haps he  spake  in  his  anxious  ear  articulate  words  of 
love  and  assuring  cheer — words  of  his  Father's  con- 
fidence and  admiration  ;  words  of  the  loyalty  of  the 
heavenly  hosts  ;  words  of  power  and  glory  ancj  king- 
ship which  rallied  his  hesitating  trust,  and  girded 
afresh  his  weary  soul .  for  the  initial  victory  of  his 
great  ministry  to  earth.  Sure  it  is  an  angel  strength- 
ened him,  and  he  conquered. 

And  sure  too  it  is  that  the  same  bright,  holy, 
powerful  beings  who  attended  the  Saviour  all 
through  his  earthly  career,  and  ministered  to  him 
all  his  trials  and  sufferings,  as  really  and  constantly 
attend  all  his  saints  ;  the  poorest  and  weakest  even  ; 
guarding  their  weary  steps  from  dangers  ;  deliver- 
ing them  from  the  "snare  of  the  fowler;"  defend- 
ing them  against  the  assaults  of  demons  ;  healing 
their  diseases  ;  assauging  their  sorrows  ;  providing 
for  their  necessities,  and  strengthening  them  for  all 
their  toils  and  labors  of  love.  "The  angel  of  the 
Lord  encampeth  round  about  them  that  fear  him 
and  deli vereth  them." 


chaptp:r  VII. 

Angels  at  an  Open  Grave. 


"Bright  angels,  bright  angels,  at  the  breaking  of  the  day." 

Not  a  harp  was  heard  in  Heaven.  The  angel 
bands  stood  around  the  throne  with  folded  wings 
and  bowed  heads.  The  holy  Son  of  God  sleeps  in 
his  snow-white  shroud  in  a  tomb  of  stone.  He  who 
made  the  worlds  lies  silent  and  cold  in  death.  The 
hands  that  fashioned  the  stars  and  grouped  the  pie- 
iades  in  kindred  beauty  have  lost  their  skill.  The 
heart  that  broke  over  a  world's  guilt  is  pulseless 
now  and  still.  Jesus,  the  Christ,  has  fallen  beneath 
the  sword  of  the  conqueror  of  Eden.  Slain  is  he, 
but  not  vanquished.  Before  he  surrendered  he  said, 
"Destroy  this  temple,  and  in  three  days  I  will  raise 
it  up."  On  those  words  hangs  the  destiny  of  two 
worlds.  If  that  prediction  and  pledge  shall  fail 
hope  for  man  is  ended.  If  that  tomb  opens  not 
death  is  eternal  sleep.  The  fallen  star  of  Bethle- 
hem must  rise  again  out  of  the  gloom  of  death,  or 
endless  night  covers  our  world  and  race.  The  slain 
Captain  of  our  salvation  must  conquer  in  his  fall, 
or  the  prince  of  darkness  is  an  unchallenged  victor. 

But  how  can  the  dead  Christ  arise  ?     His  sepul- 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  61 

chre  is  solid  rock.  One  egress  only,  and  that  is 
made  sure  by  a  huge  stone  bearing  the  seal  of 
Rome,  which  means  death  to  him  who  dares  touch 
it.  And  the  soldiers  of  the  king,  clad  in  the  garb 
of  battle,  guard  well  the  scarred  sleeper  lest  his 
strange  prophecy  shall,  somehow,  prove  true.  What 
a  moment  of  suspense  in  Heaven,  and  of  destiny  on 
earth !  The  hopes  of  men,  the  veracity  of  God, 
the  confidence  of  angels  are  bound  up  in  the  silent 
folds  of  that  cold,  winding  sheet.  If  that  death 
slumber  be  not  broken  within  threescore  and  twelve 
hours  the  travail  of  the  ages  has  miscarried  ;  the 
light  of  two  worlds  is  quenched  forever. 

One  day  has  come  and  gone  and  there  is  no  sign. 
Another  sun  has  risen  and  set ;  another  silent,  sad 
night  has  past,  and  the  dead  Prince — promised 
Prince  of  life — stirs  not  in  his  shroud.  The  slow 
hours  of  the  last  day,  on  which  hangs  the  awful  is- 
sue, are  wearing  on,  and  grim,  sullen  death  hath 
him  still.  'Tis  high  twelve  at  night  and  the  slow- 
pacing  sentinels  cry,  "All  is  well."  The  morn  be- 
gins to  break.  Another  hour  and  all  is  lost.  But 
hark  !  The  shimmer  of  a  wing !  And  instantly  a 
twain  of  angels^  swiftly  descending  from  the  throne 
on  high,  appear  and  spread  their  wings  of  light 
over  the  dead  Jesus  in  his  marble  tomb.  At  their 
shining  presence  the  mailed  keepers  fall  back  as 
dead.  And  with  their  strong  hands  they  roll  the 
stone  away,  and  sit  upon  the  seal  it  bears.  One 
glance  from  their  eyes  annuls  the  power  of  Rome. 
The  grave's  mouth  is  opened  wide.     And  he   that 


62  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

was   dead   awoke,    cast   off  the   cerements   of    his 
tomb,  and  came  forth. 

•'He  burst  death's  bars  asunder,  and  he  triumphed   o'er   the 

grave ; 
He  holds  the  keys  of  hades  ;  the  almighty  One  to  save. 
Behold  my  hands,  said  Jesus  ;  I'm  your  living  Lord  and  King ; 
From  the  grave  I  will  redeem  you ;  all  my  jewels  I  will  bring." 

"Bright  angels,  bright  angels,  at  the  breaking  of  the  day ; 
Bright  angels,  bright  angels,  they  rolled  the  stone  away." 

Shout,  ye  seraphs  of  the  skies  !  He  whose  birth 
ye  sang  in  mighty  chorus  to  the  listening  stars, 
though  he  was  dead  is  alive  again ;  and,  behold,  he 
liveth  forevermore.  Rejoice,  0  David,  the  Psalm- 
ist, for  his  ''soul  is  not  left  in  hades,  neither  has  his 
holy  one  seen  corruption."  Be  glad,  "ye  that  dwell 
in  dust,  for  now  your  dew  shall  be  as  the  dew  of 
herbs,  and  the  earth  shall  cast  out  her  dead."  Sing, 
ye  martyrs,  in  your  bloody  shrouds,  for  your  aveng- 
ing is  made  sure.  Clap  your  hands,  ye  Rachels, 
for  your  scattered  children  shall  come  from  the  ene- 
my's land.  Lift  up  your  voices,  ye  mothers  all,  for 
he  who  loved  and  blessed  the  little  children  has 
opened  wide  the  doors  of  the  tomb,  and  all  your 
precious  ones  shall  come  from  the  dark  valley,  as 
doves  to  their  windows. 

"Rejoice  and  be  glad, 
For  the  Lamb  that  was  slain, 
O'er  death  is  triumphant 
And  liveth  again." 

A   COMPANY    OF   WOMEN    MEET   TWO    ANGELS. 

"Last  at  the  cross  and  first  at  the  sepulchre." 
True  to  the  instinct  of  womanly  affection,  a  com- 
pany of  those  who  had  followed  Jesus  from  Galilee, 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  63 

forsaking  him  not  in  death,  visited  the  sepulchre  to 
see  that  his  sacred  form  was  tenderly  and  decently 
composed  in  its  divinely  appointed  resting-place, 
and  then  retired  to  their  dwellings  to  prepare  spices 
and  ointments  for  his  burial.  And  very  early  on 
the  morning  of  the  first  day  of  the  week  they  re- 
turned bringing  their  spices.  On  approaching  the 
tomb  they  were  filled  with  amazement  to  find  that 
the  stone  was  rolled  away.  The  soldiers  were  gone, 
and  all  was  silent  around.  There  was  perfume  of 
peace  and  hope  in  the  balmy  morning  air.  The  ori- 
ent was  just  breaking  into  light,  and  blushed  in 
beauty  as  if  seraphs  were  smiling  on  its  radiant 
brow.  As  the  fast  gathering  rays  flooded  the  mouth 
of  the  tomb  the  women  of  Galilee,  whose  love  for 
the  dead  Saviour  had  banished  their  nightly  slum- 
bers, timidly  entered.  Quickly  and  tenderly  their 
anxious  eyes  searched  the  empty  sepulchre  for  the 
body  of  their  slain  Lord.  Great  was  their  wonder 
when  they  found  him  not.  Sore  the  perplexity  that 
seized  their  pained  hearts.  Had  rude  hands  stolen 
him  away?  Was  added  insult  to  be  offered  to  his 
clay  in  death?  Was  not  the  mockery,  the  thorns, 
the  nails,  the  spear  which  rioted  with  his  last  ago- 
nies enough  to  satisfy  their  quenchless  hate  ?  They 
had  marred  his  fair  visage  in  life  ;  could  they  not 
allow  him  the  common  repose  of  death  ?  They  had 
cruelly  taunted  his  dying  grief  ;  must  they  now  in- 
vade his  grave  of  charity  ? 

As  with  sinking  hearts  they  stood,  dismayed, 
"Two  men" — angels — stood  beside  them  in  shining 
garments.     Startled  and  sore  afraid  at  the  presence 


64  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

of  visitants  whose  majesty  of  mien  and  splendor  of 
person  they  had  never  seen  or  conceived  before, 
they  bowed  their  faces  to  the  earth  in  awe-stricken 
wonder ;  when  the  holy  messengers  spaZce,  and  said, 
"Why  seek  ye  the  living  among  the  dead?  He  is 
not  here,  he  is  risen."  Were  ever  words  before,  or 
in  the  ages  since,  so  articulate  with  love  and  hope  ? 
The  echo  of  that  utterance  flew,  with  wings  of  light, 
up  to  the  throne,  and  rang  along  the  lines  of  the 
heavenly  hosts  till  fartherest  herald,  on  embassage 
to  distant  worlds,  heard,  and  shouted  on  to  worlds 
more  distant:  "He  is  risen."  The  far  realms  of 
"demons  damned"  heard  it;  and  sullenly,  through 
all  their  cave**ns  of  despair  repeated :  "He  is  risen." 
Death,  trembling,  heard  it.  From  grave  to  grave 
the  tidings  ran  ;  and  every  grain  of  saintly  dust 
grew  instinct  with  surety  of  coming  life,  and  seemed 
to  say,  in  symphony  of  myriad  voices,  "He  is  risen." 

Nor  did  the  angels  pause  with  the  great  announce- 
ment of  Christ's  victory  over  the  grave  and  hades; 
but  still  conversing,  they  repeated  to  Mary  Magda- 
lene, and  Joanna,  and  Mary  the  mother  of  James 
and  the  other  women,  their  Master's  half -forgotten 
words  :  "Remember  how  he  spake  unto  you  when  he 
was  yet  in  Galilee,  saying.  The  Son  of  man  must 
be  delivered  into  the  hands  of  sinful  men,  and  be 
crucified,  and  the  third  day  rise  again." 

This  is  an  indisputable  case  of  audible  angelic 
intercourse  with  human  beings.  These  heavenly 
messengers  talked  to  the  astonished  women  in  hu- 
man language.  The  words  of  Jesus  which  they 
quoted  the  women  remembered  and  understood.     It 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATIQN.  65 

was  no  illusion.  The  women  were  not  entranced, 
for  they  hastened  to  find  the  rest  of  their  company 
and  rehearsed  to  them  what  the  angels  had  said. 

How  clearly  appears  the  interesting  truth  that  the 
holy  angels  attended  the  Son  of  God  in  all  his  min- 
istry on  earth.  They  must  have  been  at  his  side 
when  he  uttered  the  words  which  he  quoted  to  the 
women.  And  though  Mary  and  Joanna,  and  the 
rest  had  forgotten  them  the  angels  had  not  forgotten. 

ANGELS    PRESENT    AT    THE    ASCENSION. 

The  Saviour's  ministry  of  miracle  and  grace  was 
supremely  crowned  by  his  conquest  of  death  and 
his  resurrection  from  the  grave.  He  had  won  on 
every  field  and  conquered  every  foe.  He  had  rent 
the  confines  of  the  tomb  and  led  captivity  captive. 
He  had  spoiled  principalities  and  powers,  putting 
them  to  an  open  shame.  He  had  transfixed  his  ac- 
cusers to  his  own  triumphant  cross,  and  chained  the 
powers  of  darkness  to  his  chariot  wheels.  He  had 
only  now  to  ascend  to  the  right  hand  of  the  Majesty 
on  high  whence  he  came  for  the  rescue  of  an  imper- 
iled world.  The  heavenly  hosts  were  impatient  to 
welcome  the  returning  "Captain  of  our  salvation." 
For  the  last  time  he  led  his  "little  flock"  out  as 
far  as  Bethany  ;  and  having  tenderly  given  them 
his  final  words  of  instruction  and  affection,  he  was 
parted  from  them  and  taken  up  into  heaven.  Dazed 
with  disappointment  and  grief  they  followed  him, 
in  his  upward  flight,  until  his  sacred  form  was  lost 
to  their  sorrowing  gaze  ;  when,  suddenly  emerging 
from  the  shadows,  two  angels,  in  the  form  of  men, 


QQ  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

clad  in  glistening  garments,  audibly,  in  their  own 
tongue,  address  them.  And  thus  they  said:  "Ye 
men  of  Galilee,  why  stand  ye  gazing  up  into  heaven? 
This  same  Jesus,  which  is  taken  up  from  you  into 
heaven,  shall  so  come  in  like  manner  as  ye  have 
seen  him  go  into  heaven." 

The  same  holy  twain  of  angels  which  comforted 
and  strengthened  the  sad  and  fainting  Jesus  in  the 
garden,  and  announced  to  the  delighted  women  his 
resurrection  at  the  dawning  of  the  third  day,  now 
reappear  to  make  known  to  earth  another  truth  of 
equal  grandeur  and  glory — that  the  resurrected  and 
ascended  Lord  will,  some  splendid  day,  return  to 
the  scenes  of  his  earthly  humiliations  and  sorrows, 
to  complete  his  triumphs  in  the  deliverance  from 
death  and  hades  of  those  who  have  followed  him  in 
the  regeneration. 

But  did  the  heavenly  heralds  reappear?  Were 
they  not,  rather,  always  with  him,  from  the  moment 
of  his  birth  to  the  hour  when,  in  the  majesty  of  tri- 
umphant power,  he  mounted  the  obedient  skies,  and 
made  a  chariot  of  the  clouds  ;  sweeping  through  the 
rejoicing  heavens,  bearing  to  his  Father's  throne 
the  trophies  of  a  vanquished  prince  of  evil,  and  an 
opened  grave  ?  We  dare  believe  the  selfsame  holy 
guardians  who  kept  watch  over  the  infant  Jesus  in 
his  manger  cradle,  and  escorted  the  family  of  three, 
in  their  flight  for  safety,  into  Egypt,  turning  the 
darkness  into  light,  were  always  at  his  side,  leaving 
him  not  day  nor  night ;  his  heaven-appointed  body 
guard ;  honored  above  their  fellow  seraphs ;  the 
royal  staff  of  the  Saviour-King, — at  once  Redeemer 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  67 

and  Lord.  And,  as  though  men  might  count  these 
not  enough,  did  he  not  say,  I  can  ask  of  my  Father 
and  he  will  send  me  "twelve  legions"  more?  But 
these  were  quite  enough.  Two  mighty  sons  of  God, 
one  at  his  right  hand,  one  at  his  left,  could  defend 
their  royal  charge  against  a  universe  of  devils.  At 
a  single  volition  they  could  stay  ten  score  As- 
syrians ;  beat  back  the  massed  foe  in  Gethsemane  ; 
strike  the  kings's  soldiers  dead  before  the  sepulchre, 
and  roll  away  the  Rome-sealed  stone  without  hin- 
drance. 

The  Saviour's  whole  career  beneath  our  skies  was 
angel-guarded,  angel-led.  Beneath  the  invincible 
shield  of  angelic  arms,  he  slept  and  woke,  and 
fought  his  conflicts  ;  save  now  and  then,  when  to 
pay  the  full  debt  of  justice  he  must  win  by  his  own 
merit  alone,  he  stood  apart  and  coped  with  the  craf- 
ty foe  single  handed  ;  while  the  watching  seraphs 
stood  within  the  shadows  proudly  witnessing  his 
easy  victory. 

The  complete  narrative  of  our  Lord's  birth,  life, 
miracles,  death,  reliving,  and  glorious  ascension  is 
radiant  with  angelic  ministry.  To  discredit  this 
great  and  brilliant  aspect  of  the  redemptive  scheme 
were  like  blotting  a  seventh  part  of  the  stars  from 
the  vault  of  heaven.  The  foot-prints  of  angels  in 
this  mortal  vale  are  as  visible  as  the  foot-prints  of 
their  Lord,  the  Christ.  He  who  cannot  hear  the 
rustle  of  their  wings  in  the  fields  of  divine  revela- 
lation  is  deaf  to  all  heavenlv  voices. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

4 

Jcsas  UUent  floaay,  but  the  flngels 
are  With  us  Still. 


When  the  Saviour  returned  to  his  Father  he  did 
not  leave  his  own  to  the  sorrows  of  orphanage.  "I 
will  not  leave  you  comfortless,"  he  said.  Among 
the  choicest  gifts  bequeathed  to  his  church  was  the 
royal  legacy  of  angelic  ministration.  The  foot- 
prints of  those  holy  beings  have  not  ceased  to  ap- 
pear in  this  vale  of  tears  since  our  Lord  departed. 
Twelve  legions  of  the  shining  ones  waited,  and 
wait  still,  upon  his  divine  behest.  And  though  his 
specially  selected  personal  attendants  escorted  him 
to  the  courts  above,  others  were  commissioned  to 
"'encamp  round  about"  his  church  and  assume  the 
guardianship  of  the  ''little  flock"  which  he  left  be- 
hind. For  they  are  the  appointed  "ministering  spir- 
its," not  to  Christ  alone,  but  to  "them  who  shall  be 
heirs  of  salvation."  The  apostolic  era  and  the  en- 
tire Christian  age  are  instinct  with  their  presence, 
and  with  their  skillful  and  mighty  interventions. 
Under  the  Redeemer  they  "rule  this  lower  world." 

Jacob's  ladder  has  not  been  drawn  up  to  Heaven, 
only  its  head  has  ascended  and  become  attached  to 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  69 

the  pillars  of  the  throne.  Daily  and  nightly  still 
they  come  and  go  *'upon  the  Son  of  man."  They 
watch  from  the  hills  and  encamp  in  the  valleys. 
They  are  the  tireless  messengers  of  their  ascended 
Lord.  They  sing  his  praise  above  and  work  his 
will  below.  They  often  still  the  storm  as  would 
their  master  if  he  was  here.  They  drive  back  the 
thronging  demons  in  his  name.  They  turn  the  steps 
leadiug  to  dangers  ;  and  sometimes  palsy  the  well- 
aimed  shafts  of  death.  Diseases  know  their  pres- 
ence and  surrender  at  their  touch.  They  are  the 
vicegerents  of  the  great  Conqueror,  the  allies  of  the 
Spirit,  and  the  heralds  of  the  Word.  "If  the  word 
spoken  by  angels  was  steadfast." 

Angelic  ministry  is  as  frequent  and  marked  since 
the  ascension  as  before.  The  Epistles  and  the  Apoc- 
alypse are  vocal  with  their  instructions  and  their 
consolations.  So  long  as  the  New  Testament  nar- 
ratives were  kept  up  angelic  interposition  was  visi- 
ble. And  since  the  sacred  books  were  closed,  even 
unto  this  hour,  had  all  the  well  authenticated  in- 
stances of  angelic  ministries  been  preserved  to  us, 
in  the  history  of  the  church,  they  would  show  an 
unbroken  succession  of  this  wonderful  agency  in 
the  workings  of  the  gospel  economy.  There  are 
abundant  grounds  for  the  belief  that  these  interme- 
diate beings,  in  rank  between  men  and  God,  bear 
incessant  and  effective  part  in  all  the  trophies  of 
grace.  "Are  they  not  serving  spirits,  sent  forth  to 
serve  them  that  shall  be  heirs  of  salvation  ?"  What 
a  grand  trinity  of  forces  is  here  !  The  Spirit,  the 
Word,  and  the  holy  plenipotentiaries  of  the  throne. 


70  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

The  ministry  of  anointed  men,  with  these  for  a 
''front  guard  and  rereward"  is  majestic  and  invinci- 
ble. With  these  potent  co-workers  why  need  we 
fear?  Defended  by  these  powerful  and  faithful 
guardians  sent  from  Heaven,  why  need  we  distrust? 

ANGELS  DISPUTE  THE  AUTHORITY  OF  THE  HIGH  PRIESTS. 

Jerusalem  was  wild  with  excitement.  The  apos. 
ties  were  performing  the  most  startling  miracles. 
Ananias  and  his  wife  had  fallen  dead  at  Peter's  re- 
buke of  their  deception  and  falsehood.  And  many 
signs  and  wonders  were  wrought  among  the  people. 
The  sick  were  brought  out  on  their  couches  and 
laid  in  the  streets  that  the  shadow  of  the  passing 
apostles  might  fall  on  them  and  heal  them.  The 
whole  surrounding  country  was  stirred  to  its  pro- 
foundest  depths.  Every  hearth  stone  was  the  scene 
of  solemn  and  excited  inquiry  and  discussion.  Swift- 
ly the  tidings  grew  that  all  manner  of  maladies 
were  instantly  cured  by  the  touch,  the  word,  the 
look  of  Peter  the  well-known  fisherman,  and  the 
others  who  followed  with  him.  Mothers  looked  anx- 
iously on  their  sick  and  dying  children  and  prayed 
that  the  strangely  gifted  men  might  pass  their  doors. 
Surrounding  cities  caught  up  the  amazing  news, 
and  every  group  and  household  was  wildly  agitated. 
The  stories  grew  in  wonder  from  lip  to  lip.  One 
thing  alone  was  thought  of.  Was  it  true  that  men 
were  among  them  who  had  power  to  heal,  and  actu- 
ally were  healing  all  the  sick  who  were  placed  in 
their  presence  ;  and  casting  the  demons  out  of  all 
possessed  of  them?     Credulity  spurned  all  bounds; 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  71 

a  spontaneous  movement  broke  forth  ;  a  simultane- 
ous rush  towards  Jerusalem  set  in  from  all  points. 
On  beds,  on  couches,  in  vehicles  of  every  kind,  the 
sick  were  borne  along  as  if  it  were  resurrection  day 
in  the  old  metropolis.  Children  at  the  point  of 
death  were  carried  in  their  mother's  arms.  And  the 
strong  keepers  of  "them  which  were  vexed  with  un- 
clean spirits,"  hurried  their  raving  patients,  in  their 
clanging  fetters,  toward  the  spot  where  the  apostles 
were  assembled.  And  of  all  who  came  not  one  re- 
turned unhealed.  Each  victim,  whatever  was  his 
disease,  went  back  made  whole.  The  children,  al- 
ready in  the  approaching  chills  of  death,  returned 
prattling  with  innocent  glee  in  their  joyful  mother's 
bosoms,  unconscious  of  the  power  that  had  turned 
the  suffering  of  their  3'oung  lives  into  gladness. 
The  maniac,  who  unwilling  came,  biting  his  chains, 
returned  without  his  keeper,  "clothed  and  in  his 
right  mind." 

"There  came  also  a  multitude  out  of  the  cities 
round  about,  unto  Jerusalem,  bringing  sick  folks, 
and  them  which  were  vexed  with  unclean  spirits ; 
and  they  were  healed  every  one."     Acts  5  :  16. 

The  high  priests  were  wild  with  rage  because  all 
these  wonderful  works  were  done  in  the  name  and 
by  the  power  of  him  whom,  in  their  blind  hatred, 
they  had  so  lately  caused  to  be  put  to  death.  They 
.feared  all  Jerusalem  would  be  carried  away  by  these 
miracles  and  themselves  become  the  scorn  of  the 
people. 

They  could  not  dissuade  the  multitude  for  it  was 
plain  that  the  miracles  wrought  by  the  apostles  were 


72  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

real,  and  that  the  popular  sympathy  was  intense. 
Every  moment's  delay  increased  the  excitement. 
The  boldest  measures  must  be  adopted  at  once  or 
the  matter  would  outgrow  their  authority  and  ren- 
der interference  dangerous  to  the  peace  of  the  city 
and  the  personal  safety  of  the  priests  themselves. 
In  reckless  anger,  the  high  priest,  aided  by  the  Sad- 
ducees,  laid  violent  hands  on  the  men  of  God,  and 
shut  them  up  in  the  common  prison. 

But  where  now  were  their  heavenly  guardians? 
Were  they  the  silent,  unseen  spectators  of  the  in- 
sults offered  the  legates  of  their  Master?  Did  they 
stand  in  awe  of  the  sacred  office  filled,  though  dis- 
honored, by  the  priests  of  God  ?  Would  they  leave 
the  objects  of  their  care  to  suffer  in  chains  without 
remonstrance? 

The  last  rays  of  the  setting  sun  had  faded  from 
the  spires  of  the  city  of  David.  The  hush  of  ad- 
vancing night  lay  on  the  great  populace.  The  lights 
in  the  prison  were  out.  The  sentinels  cried,  "Twelve 
o'clock,  and  all  is  well."  The  drowsy  high  priest, 
sure  that  his  victims  were  safely  guarded,  sank  to 
his  guilty  slumbers.  The  keepers  of  the  prison  trod 
to  and  fro  before  the  well  barred  doors.  The  inno- 
cent inmates  were  grouped  in  silent  prayer,  when, 
noiselessly,  an  angel  entered.  A  motion  of  his 
hand  and  all  the  prison  gates  stood  open.  Calmly 
he  led  them  forth.  So  quietly,  even,  the  watchful 
guard  knew  not  that  their  precious  charge  was  elud- 
ing their  vigilance.  The  doors  closed  softly  after 
their  receding  forms  ;  and  the  faithful  sentinels  kept 
watch  around  an  empty  jail. 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  73 

When  well  outside,  in  the  faintly  breaking  light 
of  day,  the  delivered  servants  of  God  stood  around 
their  angelic  guardian,  who,  in  tones  that  made  the 
Jewish  priests  seem  pitiably  ignominious,  said,  '-Go, 
stand  and  speak  to  the  people  in  the  temple  all  the 
words  of  this  life." 

With  the  high  priest's  returning  wakefulness  came 
afresh  his  bitter  indignation  ;  and  early  in  the  morn- 
ing he  assembled  the  council  and  all  the  senate,  and 
sent  to  the  prison  to  have  the  apostles  brought  forth 
that  he  might  consummate  his  wicked  intent  in  hav- 
ing them  more  severely  punished,  perhaps  put  to 
death.  But  great  was  his  chagrin  and  anger  when 
the  officers  returned  without  the  prisoners ;  and 
when  closely  examined,  said,  ''The  prison  truly 
found  we  shut  with  all  safety,  and  the  keepers 
standing  before  the  doors  ;  but  when  we  had  opened 
we  found  no  man  within."  And  presently  one  came, 
and  said,  "The  men  whom  ye  put  in  prison  are 
standing  in  the  temple  and  teaching  the  people." 

Finely  art  thou  baffled,  cruel  and  crafty  high 
priest,  in  thy  foul  design  to  stifle  the  healing  power 
of  him,  whose  blood,  shed  by  thy  wanton  hands,  is 
''upon"  thee  and  thy  "children."  In  thy  plotting 
thou  shouldest  have  remembered  that  the  God  of 
Abraham  and  of  Isaac  and  of  Jacob  had  said,  "The 
angel  of  the  Lord  encampeth  around  them  that  fear 
him,  and  delivereth  them." 

If  some,  by  entertaining  strangers  have  thereby 
entertained  angels  unawares  ;  others,  by  assaulting 
God's  servants  have  thereby  encountered  angels 
when  least  expecting  it.     And  thus  we  meet  again 


74  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

the  palpable  fact  that  the  ministration  of  the  an- 
gelic race  is  a  marked  and  majestic  feature  in  the 
economy  of  redemption.  In  personal  experiences, 
in  dispensational  visitations,  and  in  the  marching 
and  countermarching  of  mighty  forces  in  the  his- 
tory of  nations,  these  holy  beings  act  important 
and  decisive  parts.  They  foil  wicked  machinations 
by  opening  the  guarded  doors  of  gloomy  prisons, 
and  setting  the  chained  sufferers  free.  They  defeat 
plotting  councils ;  overrule  grave  senates ;  drive 
back  mighty  armies  ;  spread  their  invincible  shields 
over  the  defenceless  heads  of  Christ's  ambassadors  ; 
escort  the  church  in  her  struggling  pilgrimage  to  the 
land  of  promise  ;  protect  the  widows  and  the  father- 
less ;  attend  in  darkness  and  in  day,  the  poorest, 
weakest,  most  disconsolate  saint.  They  mingle,  un- 
seen, in  all  the  gatherings  of  the  righteous  ;  they 
poise  mid-air  over  baptismal  scenes  ;  they  tenderly 
lead  on,  with  unheard  footfall,  the  sad  companies 
who  go  out  to  the  burial ;  they  steady  the  faltering 
steps  of  age,  and  watch  the  cradles  of  helpless  in- 
fancy. 

'*Angels  now  are  hovering  round  us, 
Unperceived  they  mix  the  throng ; 
Wondering  at  the  love  that  crowns  us. 
Glad  to  join  the  holy  throng." 

ANOTHER    WONDERFUL    DELIVERANCE. 

Mystery  and  miracle  enswathe  us.  Above,  be- 
low, around,  the  supernatural  is  all  pervading. 
God  is  above  nature  ;  and  the  seraphs  are  his  swift- 
winged  messengers.  What  we  call  physical  law  is 
no    obstruction    to    angelic   ministries.     Bolts    and 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  75 

bars  and  prison  gates  disappear  at  their  volition, 
and  dungeons  like  palaces  shine  in  their  presence. 
No  place  can  be  so  dismal,  no  cavern  so  deep  and 
dark,  no  Inquisition  cell  so  hidden  and  fetid,  no 
fortress  so  strongly  guarded,  that  they  cannot  find 
quick  and  easy  access,  if  a  child  of  God  be  there. 
The  heaviest  manacles  forged  by  popes  and  tyrants, 
and  riveted  by  skill  and  strength  of  demons,  dis- 
solve at  their  slightest  touch. 

Here  is  a  spectacle !  An  angel  within  prison 
walls !  Our  pained  ears  have  heard  of  prophets, 
apostles,  martyrs  and  saints,  wasting,  starving,  dying 
in  cruel  incarceration.  Our  tear-dimmed  eyes  have 
traced  the  story  of  Toussaint  L'Ouverture  starved 
to  death  in  the  castle  of  Joux,  by  order  of  the  great 
Napoleon,  for  his  devotion  to  human  liberty.  We 
cherish  as  a  sacred  legacy  the  narrative  of  John 
Bunyan's  sufferings  and  faith  in  Bedford  jail.  We 
recall  with  undisguised  indignation  the  record  of 
the  thousands  who  pined  in  the  dungeons  of  the  in- 
famous Inquisition,  waiting  for  the  guillotine  or  the 
stake.  But  here  we  have  the  rare  case  of  a  verita- 
ble living  angel  in  a  jail.  Wherefore,  and  with 
what  ending,  we  shall  see. 

It  was  night  in  the  Hebrew  city.  Within  the 
outer  wall  stood  the  common  prison.  Before  the 
gate  a  quaternion  of  soldiers  kept  vigilant  guard. 
Some  victim  of  offended  justice  of  rare  importance 
must  be  confined  within  those  grim  old  walls.  Let 
us  look  in.  Lying  there  on  the  cold  stone  floor, 
heavily  manacled,  is  a  manly  form,  scarce  fashioned 
for  such  a  place  as  this.     Two  chains  were  on  his 


76  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

hands,  two  galling  his  feet — one  chain  was  deemed 
enough  for  common  criminals.  Four  quaternions 
of  soldiers — sixteen  in  all — watched  by  turns  their 
precious  trophy  of  Jewish  hate.  Who  may  this 
doubly  dangerous  captive  be?  This  is  Peter,  the 
late  fisherman  of  Galilee,  now  the  legate  of  the  cru- 
cified but  living  Jesus.  He  dies  in  the  morning. 
James  had  already  been  beheaded  ;  he  was  being 
kept  till  the  Easter  festival  should  be  ended,  when 
he  was  to  be  made  a  spectacle  to  the  people.  Nor 
was  he  ignorant  of  his  fate.  He  knew  too  well  the 
unrelenting  hatred  of  his  blinded  countrymen  to  the 
name  of  Him  whose  avowed  disciple  and  apostle  he 
was. 

Our  hearts  go  out  tenderly  towards  him.  Torn 
from  his  home  and  kindred,  and  awaiting,  in  that 
loathsome  place,  the  headman's  cruel  axe,  he  must 
be  sore  stricken  with  inconsolable  grief.  But  see  ! 
He  sleeps  !  Quietly,  sweetly,  a  victorious  but  tired 
warrior  on  his  untarnished  shield.  Why  should  he 
not  slumber?  True,  it  seemed  his  last  night  on 
earth,  and  bloody  seemed  his  doom.  But  was  he 
not  Jehovah's  faithful  herald  ?  Had  he  not  seen  his 
Lord  and  Master  triumphantly  expire  while  heaven 
and  earth  gave  visible,  audible  witness  to  the  glory 
of  his  death,  changing  his  dying  agonies  into  sig- 
nals of  his  power  and  majesty  ?  Was  he  not  Christ's 
heroic  embassador?  and  had  not  the  Captian  of  his 
salvation  given  pledge  to  succor  him  to  the  end, 
and  forever?  What  ultimate  or  essential  harm  could 
befall  him  under  any  condition,  in  any  world? 

Yet,  to  all  eyes  but  God's  and  angels'  bis  lot  was 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  77 

most  forlorn.  His  enemies  were  dead  to  justice  or 
mercy.  His  friends  were  powerless  as  himself. 
The  cause  which  he  impersonated  was  the  scorn  of 
all  men.  Despair  was  at  its  height.  So  was  faith. 
One  weapon  alone  remained.  But  that  was  mighty 
to  the  pulling  down  of  strong  holds.  It  had  proved 
potent  enough  to  shut  and  open  the  heavens.  It 
had  enthroned  monarchs,  and  dethroned  tyrants. 
It  had  changed  the  purpose  of  kings,  and  deter- 
mined the  destiny  of  nations.  It  had  reached  the 
throne  of  Omnipotence  and  called  messengers  from 
heaven. 

Prayer  went  up,  and  an  angel  came  down.  One 
angel.  That  was  enough.  Against  the  Jewish 
priests  wild  with  rage  ;  against  four  quaternions  of 
soldiers ;  against  Herod  ;  against  Rome  ;  against 
the  arch  fiend,  back  of  them  all,  one  angel  was  suf- 
ficient. 

"When  the  rush  and  roar  of  the  great  city  had 
died  awav  into  silence,  and  the  lights  in  the  halls  of 
revelry  were  out,  and  the  gloating  priests  had  sunk 
into  their  guilty  slumbers,  a  slender  band  of  women 
secretly  gathered  at  Mary's  house  to  spend  the  night 
in  incessant  prayer.  Between  that  humble  kitchen 
in  that  remote  quarter  of  the  city  and  the  courts  of 
heaven,  telephonic  communication  was  quickly  es- 
tablished, and  before  the  voice  of  supplication  had 
gone  round  that  little  circle,  an  angel,  tall  and 
mighty,  was  bending  over  Peter  sleeping  in  his 
chains,  and  the  gloomy  dungeon  was  suddenly  as 
light  as  heaven.  As  that  holy  envoy,  flying  swiftly 
through  the  darkness,  descried  the  prison  and  the 


78  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

cell  where  the  manacled  apostle  was  lying,  so  will 
the  commissioned  bands  find  every  grave,  in  earth 
and  sea — the  marble  tomb  fenced  in  by  wealth  and 
royal  insignia,  and  the  humble  grave  obscured  by 
debris  of  ages.  And  as  the  light,  radiating  from 
the  personal  presence,  filled  the  prison,  so  will  the 
glory  of  the  Lord  fill  all  the  earth  in  its  restitution 
splendor. 

Angelic  power,  under  divine  commission,  is  su- 
perior to  physical  law.  Untouched,  Peter's  chains 
fell  off,  and  the  huge  iron  gate,  at  the  heavenly  vis- 
itant's approach,  opened  of  its  own  accord. 

Tlie  scene  at  the  house  of  Mary  was  true  to  the 
inconsistencies  of  faith.  Left  by  his  heavenly  guide 
in  the  open  street,  the  miraculously  delivered  apos- 
tle instinctively  hastened  to  the  place  where  the 
women  were  praying.  The  valiant  group  were  on 
their  knees  when  Peter's  well  known  knock  was 
heard  on  the  door.  At  that  very  instant  they  were 
fervently  entreating  God  to  interpose  for  the  deliv- 
erance of  his  servant.  Yet  when  the  answer  came 
so  swift,  so  grand,  they  for  the  moment  would  not 
accept  it.  Their  mighty  faith  was  dazed  by  the 
majesty  of  its  achievement.  The  literal  fulfillment  of 
their  petition  shocked  their  mental  confidence,  and 
they  ready  to  accept,  as  a  compromise,  the  ghost 
of  Peter  for  Peter  himself.  So  is  our  faith  often 
staggered  by  the  miracle  of  its  triumphs ;  and  we 
are  ready  to  fall  back  to  a  position  of  half  doubt 
and  half  expectancy.  We  pray  for  the  angel  to 
come  straight  from  heaven,  and  fill  our  dungeons 
with  the  light  of  day,  and  melt  off  our  chains  and 


,      IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  79 

set  US  free.  But  when  God  begins  to  answer  ia  his 
mighty  way,  we  are  afraid,  and  say  it  may  be  partly 
true. 

AN    ANGEL    AT    THE    HELM    IN    A    STORM. 

Saint  Paul  was  under  arrest  for  preaching  Christ 
and  the  resurrection  ;  and  having  appealed  to  Ca?sar 
was  on  his  way  to  Rome  for  trial.  Soon  after  they 
had  passed  Crete  they  encountered  a  tempest  fiercely 
driven  by  a  terrible  wind  known  by  mariners  as 
Euroclydon  ;  and  when  they  had  been  tossed  and 
driven,  the  sport  of  the  uuabating  storm,  for  many 
days,  seeing  neither  the  sun  nor  the  stars,  the  offi- 
cers and  crew  gave  up  all  hope  of  being  saved. 
The  apostle  had  warned  them  of  their  danger  and 
advised  a  course  of  safety,  but  they  did  not  regard 
his  words. 

There  were  on  board  two  hundred  and  seventy-six 
souls,  all  exposed  to  certain  death,  so  far  as  they 
could  see.  At  the  height  of  their  despair  Paul  devoted 
himself  to  fasting  and  prayer.  For  many  days  and 
nights  he  wrestled  with  God  for  the  deliverance  of 
the  ship's  company  as  Jacob  wrestled  with  an  angel 
at  Peniel  in  the  years  of  old.  At  dead  of  night,  in 
the  darkness  and  the  gloom,  an  unseen  holy  one 
mounted  the  wings  of  the  tempest  at  its  wildest 
mood;  and  treading  the  mad  winds  beneath  his  feet, 
passed  swiftly  to  the  laboring  and  helpless  vessel. 
Around  the  apostle,  prone  in  agony  of  prayer,  sud- 
denly shone  a  light  as  it  had  been  of  Heaven,  much 
resembling  the  glory  which  overwhelmed  him  when 
on  his  wav  to  Damascus  to  hail  the  friends  of  Jesus 


80  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

to  prison  and  death.  Over  his  weary  frame  came  a 
glow  of  peace  and  strength  as  a  voice  of  unearthly 
sweetness  and  power,  said;  "Fear  not,  Paul;  thou 
must  be  brought  before  Caesar  ;  and,  lo,  God  hath 
given  thee  all  them  that  sail  with  thee  ;"  and  lifting 
up  his  ej^es  he  saw  an  angel  by  his  side. 

This  was  no  new  delight  to  the  great  legate  of 
Christ  He  had  met  angels  before,  and  been  ad- 
dressed in  speech  not  of  earth.  He  had  learned  to 
trust  without  misgiving  the  assurances  of  heavenly 
visitants.  He  knew  their  control  of  the  warring  ele- 
ments of  nature.  All, fear  forsook  him.  In  calm 
confidence  he  stood  among  the  frightened  and  de- 
spairing people,  and  said  ;  "Sirs,  be  of  good  cheer  ; 
for  I  believe  God,  that  it  shall  be  even  as  it  was 
told  me."  And  well  he  might  believe  ;  for  the  rec- 
ords of  all  time  bear  no  instance  of  failure  of  any 
word  or  jot  or  tittle  spoken  by  a  holy  angel.  An- 
gelic announcements  have  ever  stood  fast ;  immuta- 
ble as  the  voice  of  Jehovah  whose  commissioned 
messengers  they  are.  Nations  have  arisen  and 
fallen  at  their  command  ;  and  dynasties  have  crum- 
bled at  their  breath.  Whoever  gets  tidings  from  a 
good  angel  may  rest  in  certainty  of  accomplishment. 

The  Greek  mythology  abounds  in  gods  and  god- 
desses to  whom  is  ascribed  the  control  of  all  forces 
both  of  land  and  sea  ;  Poseidon,  the  god  of  water, 
and  the  storm-bearing  Harpies,  swift  as  the  blast  of 
the  winter  wind  ;  a  progeny  of  gods  and  nymphs, 
who  are  guardians  of  air  and  sky ;  Phorcys,  the 
ruler  of  the  sea  ;  and  the  Sirens  who  still  the  winds 
of   heaven  with  their   songs.     But    the    angry   ele- 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  81 

ments  failed  to  acknowledge  the  power  of  these 
creatures  of  the  imagination.  Only  at  the  voice  of 
him  who  fashioned  the  worlds,  and  under  the  man- 
date of  those  whom  he  has  sent  forth  as  the 
messengers  of  his  will,  has  ruffled  nature  surren- 
dered ;  the  wild  winds  been  stilled  ;  the  storms  grown 
calm  ;  the  angry  deep  smoothed  its  brow  to  rest. 

In  bringing  safe  to  land  the  "two  hundred  three- 
score and  sixteen  souls,"  w^hether  the  angel  under- 
girded  the  ship  by  his  own  might,  making  her 
strong  to  battle  against  the  Euroclydon  and  resist 
the  power  of  the  tempest,  or  by  his  breath  calmed 
the  temper  of  the  storm  until  the  ship  with  its  pre- 
cious freight  could  be  run  ashore,  or  both,  we  may 
not  know  ;  but  sure  it  is  that  the  guardian  one  was 
master  of  both  the  vessel  and  the  storm,  and  held 
the  helm  in  his  unseen  grasp  ;  and  all  the  winds  and 
waves  of  sky  and  sea  could  not  fatally  wreck  those 
whom  he  had  promised  to  rescue  in  response  to 
Paul's  fasting  and  supplication. 

The  ministering  angels  are  at  home  alike  on  the 
sea  and  on  the  land.  They  can  stand  on  the  earth, 
or  walk  on  the  water,  or  fly  through  the  midst  of 
heaven.  They  can  speak  from  the  skies,  feed  a  dis- 
consolate prophet  in  the  wilderness,  or  pluck  a 
foundering  ship  from  a  tempest  in  mid-ocean. 
Wherever  God's  presence  is  there  are  the3^  They 
traverse  the  etherial  spaces  with  lightning  swift- 
ness. They  need  no  winged  flotilla  to  make  the 
circuit  of  the  sea,  nor  chariots  of  steam  and  flame 
to  compass  the  land.  Contrary  winds  and  wild 
storms  cannot  obstruct  their  flight.     They  are  never 


62  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

behind  the  appointed  time.  They  are  not  omnipres- 
ent, but  they  can  go  round  our  globe  as  quickly  as 
an  electric  flash.  No  danger  can  elude  their  sight. 
No  demon  can  escape  their  vigilance.  No  darkness 
can  obscure  the  objects  of  their  guardianship.  They 
can  people  the  sea  and  the  dry  laud  at  will.  If 
they  encamp  about  us  we  cannot  be  outnumbered. 
If  an  angel  be  at  the  helm  our  vessel  cannot  founder. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

fln  flngel  Settles  an  International 
Question. 


In  the  progress  of  the  divine  purpose  of  grace  for 
our  entire  humanity  the  time  had  come  for  the  "par- 
tition  wall"  of  national  caste  to  be  smitten  down. 
The  water  of  life,  hitherto  pent  up  in  the  narrow 
channels  of  the  Hebrew  blood,  must  flow  to  every 
nation,  tribe  and  kindred.  The  illimitable  Gentile 
peoples  must  become  heirs  to  the  love  of  God  in 
Christ  the  Saviour.  But  the  barriers  are  high  and 
strong,  and  fortified  by  the  mutual  hate  of  many 
centuries  of  growth.  How  can  unity  be  reached? 
Who  shall  act  as  mediator  between  the  proud, 
haughty,  boastful  and  exclusive  Jew  and  the  hated 
heathen  Gentile?  No  Gentile  ambassador  would  be 
received  at  a  Jewish  court.  And  no  Jew  would 
consent  to  make  overtures  to  the  Gentile  "dogs." 

At  CjHsarea,  in  Palestine,  lived  a  remarkable  man 
named  Cornelius.  To  be  sure  he  was  a  military 
character,  a  centurion,  or  captain  in  the  Roman 
army.  But  he  was  "A  devout  man,  and  one  that 
feared  God  with  all  his  house,  which  gave  much 
alms  to  the  people,  and  prayed    to   God   always.'*" 


84  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

But  he  was  a  Gentile  ;  what  the  Jews  would  call 
"common"  or  "unclean."  He  had  been  circumcised. 
How  fit  that  such  a  character  should  be  chosen  of 
the  Lord  as  the  door  through  which  the  gospel 
should  be  introduced  to  the  Gentile  world. 

But  of  the  more  complete  knowledge  of  Christ 
and  his  gospel  which  Cornelius  needed,  the  apostles 
held  the  key.  And  all  the  accredited  legates  of 
Christ  were  Jews,  and  shared  their  nation's  preju- 
dice against  all  other  peoples.  And  to  this  time 
they  had  preached  to  the  "Lost  sheep  of  the  house 
of  Israel"  alone.  Peter,  with  his  vehement  nature, 
was  intensely  Jewish.  He  was  particularly  proud 
of  his  ancestral  purity.  He  had  always  kept  him- 
self clean  from  alliance  or  sympathy  with  the  out- 
side world.  Nothing  less  than  special  divine  inter- 
position could  soften  his  aristocracy  of  blood.  He 
would  have  deemed  a  proposition  to  preach  Christ 
to  the  heathen  world  sacrilegious.  And  how  could 
the  gospel  flow  to  the  Gentiles  through  such  hands  ? 

As  Cornelius  was  alone  at  about  the  ninth  hour 
of  the  day,  devoutly  worshipping,  "He  saw  in  a  vis- 
ion openly,  an  angel  of  God  coming  in  unto  him, 
and  saying  to  him,  Cornelius.  And  he,  fastening 
his  eyes  upon  him,  and  being  frightened,  said, 
What  is  it.  Lord?  And  he  said  unto  him.  Thy 
prayers  and  thine  alms  are  gone  up  for  a  memorial 
before  God.  And  now  send  men  to  Joppa,  and 
fetch  one  Simon,  who  is  surnamed  Peter ;  he  lodg- 
eth  with  one  Simon,  a  tanner,  whose  house  is  by 
the  seaside.  And  when  the  angel  that  spake  unto 
him  was  departed,  he  called  two  of  his   household 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  85 

servants,  and  a  devout  soldier  of  them  who  waited 
on  him  continually  ;  and  having  rehearsed  all  things 
unto  them,  he  sent  them  to  Joppa." 

Dr.  Adam  Clark  says  of  this  passage,  "This  text 
is  as  plain  as  it  can  be  that  an  angel  of  God  did 
appear  to  Cornelius."  This  appearance  to  Cornelius 
was  similar  to  that  made  to  Daniel,  9  :  20-23,  and 
especially  like  that  to  Zachariah,  the  father  of  John 
the  Baptist,  Luke  1  :  11.  Here,  as  in  the  other  in- 
stances, the  angel  held  actual  conversation  with  the 
centurion,  and  his  person  was  visible.  There  is 
every  reason  to  believe  that  the  whole  transaction 
was  entirely  real  and  literal.  And  this  view  accords 
perfectly  with  many  other  cases  of  angelic  visita- 
tion, both  in  the  New  Testament  and  in  the  Old. 

At  the  same  hour  of  the  angel's  visit  to  Ca^sarea, 
Peter  was  at  Joppa  ;  and  while  the  embassage,  sent 
by  the  centurion,  was  approaching  their  destination, 
the  apostle  became  unusually  hungry  while  praying 
on  the  house'top  ;  but  as  he  waited  for  the  meal  to 
be  prepared  he  fell  into  a  trance,  or  an  ecstasy,  a 
transport  of  spiritual  delight,  coming  over  him  as 
he  communed  with  God  ;  preparing  him  for  the  reve- 
lation which  was  to  be  made  to  him  by  the  messen- 
gers of  Cornelius,  as  prefigured  by  the  vision  of  the 
sheet  filled  with  all  manner  of  beasts.  Accom- 
panying  this  wonderful  exhibition  was  a  voice^  ad- 
dressing Peter  in  audible  words.  No  doubt  it  was 
the  same  angel  that  communicated  with  Cornelius 
who  spake  twice  to  Peter  directing  him  what  to  do 
with  regard  to  the  vision  ;  and  instructing  him  that 
what  God  had  cleansed  should  not  be  called  com- 


86  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

mon  or  unclean ;  thus  preparing  him  to  receive  the 
messengers  of  the  Gentile  centurion.  And  so  was 
the  apostle  affected  by  the  voice  which  spake  to 
him,  and  the  recital  that  an  angel  had  visited  Cor- 
nelius with  reference  to  the  same  matter,  that  he 
willingly  went  with  the  man,  on  the  next  day  to 
Caesarea,  where  the  great  question  was  forever  set- 
tled that  God  was  no  respecter  of  national  blood, 
and  the  partition  wall  between  Jew  and  Gentile  was 
broken  down. 

It  is  clear  that,  in  this  case,  a  holy  angel  was 
commissioned  to  adjudicate  a  most  important  and 
difficult  international  matter,  and  open  the  Gentile 
world  to  the  gospel  of  redemption.  And  did  ever 
an  earthly  diplomatist  display  greater  foresight  and 
skill?  How  vastly  intelligent  and  trustworthy  must 
those  holy  ones  be.  And  if  our  Heavenly  Father 
trusts  them  to  manage  the  most  weighty  affairs  of 
the  divine  administration,  ought  we  not  to  accept 
with  entire  confidence  the  inspired  assurance  that, 
"All  these  are  ministering  spirits,  sent  forth  to 
serve  them  that  shall  be  heirs  of  salvation.  ?"  And 
may  we  not  believe  that  the  Word  of  God,  as  ful- 
filled in  the  career  of  the  nations,  is  superintended 
still  by  those  wise  and  true  representatives  of  the 
throne  of  heaven? 

AN   ANGEL    DIRECTING   A    BAPTISM. 

The  church  at  Jerusalem  was  terrorized  by  the 
ferocious  persecution  of  Saul  of  Tarsus.  In  fear 
of  being  slain  the  disciples  fled  in  all  directions. 
Philip,   a   deacon   and   Evangelist,    went   down   to 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  87 

Damascus,  and  preached  to  the  mixed  population, 
Christ  and  the  resurrection  with  great  success. 

In  Ethiopia  lived  a  man  of  high  character,  who 
was  lord  chamberlain  of  Queen  Candace's  house- 
hold. Though  in  great  authority,  having  full  charge 
of  the  queen's  treasury,  he  was  a  devout  man  and 
worshipped  God  ;  but  he  needed  Christian  enlight- 
raent  and  baptism.  He  was  on  his  way  to  Jerusa- 
lem to  engage  in  religious  devotion,  when  an  angel 
appeared  to  Philip,  and  said  to  him,  * 'Arise,  go 
toward  the  south,  unto  the  way  that  goeth  down 
from  Jerusalem  unto  Gaza  which  is  desert."  Acts 
8;  26. 

What  could  the  angel  have  had  in  view  in  so  par- 
ticularly directing  Philip  as  to  what  course  he  should 
take?  Did  he  know  that  the  Ethiopian  was  on  Mb 
way  to  Jerusalem  ;  and  did  he  desire  to  bring  the 
two  men,  Philip  and  the  eunuch,  together  for  some 
important  purpose  ?     The  sequel  will  show. 

As  Philip  went  on  his  way,  as  the  angel  had  di- 
rected him,  he  caught  sight  of  a  man,  of  royal  equi- 
page, riding  in  a  chariot  and  reading  a  book.  Spe- 
cially impressed  by  the  Spirit,  he  joined  himself  to 
the  chariot,  and  heard  the  royal  traveler  reading 
from  the  prophet  Esaias,  and  soon  found  himself 
enlisted  in  a  very  interesting  conversation  with  none 
other  than  a  chief  officer  from  Ethiopia,  the  treas- 
urer of  Queen  Candace's  Court.  Now  the  light 
begins  to  shine.  The  angel  was  sent  to  superinduce 
the  baptism  of  the  eunuch.  And  this  was  his  inge- 
nious method.  He  knew  when  the  treasurer  would 
leave  Ethiopa,  and  by  what  route  he  would  make 


SS  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

his  journey,  and  at  what  speed  he  would  travel ;  and 
he  started  Philip  out  towards  the  south  by  just  the 
I'oad  to  intercept  the  Ethiopian. 

Philip  lost  no  time  in  more  fully  instructing  his 
deeply  interested  listener,  who  presently  enquired  of 
the  Evangelist  if  he  could  not  be  baptized?  At 
that  moment  they  opportunely  came  upon  a  "cer- 
tain water"  by  the  wayside.  And  the  treasurer 
commanded  the  chariot  to  stand  still ;  "And  they 
went  down  both  into  the  water,  both  Philip  and  the 
eunuch  ;  and  he  baptized  him." 

And  here  is  another  beautiful  lesson  of  angelic 
ministrations.  These  holy  beings  not  only  interpose 
their  shield  of  mighty  power  between  the  friends  of 
Jesus  and  the  bad  angels ;  take  part  in  great  na- 
tional issues  ;  control  important  religious  events  ;  but 
they  also  maintain  an  intense  concern  in  the  per- 
sonal experience  and  career  of  each  child  of  God. 
They  overrule  circumstances  to  induce  obedience  to 
duty.  They  prepare  the  way  for  the  ordinances  of 
the  gospel  to  be  honored.  They  predispose  the 
ministers  of  truth  to  the  ways  they  should  take. 
They  bring  royalty  and  peasantry  into  sweetest  fel- 
lowship by  their  tender  mediations.  They  cause 
officers  who  ride  in  chariots  and  Evangelists  who  go 
on  foot  to  go  down,  arm-in-arm  into  the  baptismal 
waters. 

While  the  Spirit  by  a  subtle  force  which  we  can- 
not analyze,  acts  directly  on  our  moral  and  mental 
faculties  ;  Illuminating  the  fields  of  truth,  and  reveal- 
ing to  human  perception  the  divine  character  and  pur- 
poses ;  quickening  torpid  sensibilities  ;  arousing  con- 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  89 

science  to  a  sense  of  obligation,  and  softening  the 
will  into  obedience  ;  the  angels  have  control  of  out- 
ward conditions  ;  the  mastery  of  physical  elements  ; 
the  marshaling  of  human  agencies  ;  the  disposal  of 
historic  and  providential  coincidencies  ;  the  issues 
of  armed  conflicts  ;  the  fulfillment  of  divine  predic- 
tion ;  and  the  general  superintendence  of  the  affairs 
of  our  world.  The  Scriptures  warrant  us  in  saying 
that  the  Almighty  largely  governs  our  world  by  the 
direct  interposition  and  powerful  ministry  of  his 
liolv  ano^els. 

"The  chariots  of  God  are  twenty  thousand,  even 
thousands  of  angels.  The  Lord  is  among  them,  as 
in  Sinai  in  the  holy  place."  "Who  maketh  his  an- 
gels spirits  ;  his  ministers  a  flaming  fire." 

AN    ANGEL    CURES    DISEASES. 

At  Jerusalem,  near  the  sheep  market,  there  was 
a  pool  or  bath  which  had  obtained  great  notoriety. 
It  was  called  in  Hebrew  Bethesda,  or  Bethchasdah, 
The  house  of  mercy.  It  had  derived  this  name  from 
the  many  cures  which  had  come  to  the  sick  from 
bathing  in  its  waters.  But  it  was  not  believed 
the  healing  virtue  was  in  the  water  naturally  for  all 
manner  of  diseases  were  instantly  cured  ;  diseases 
entirely  unlike,  positively  opposite  in  their  nature 
and  producing  causes,  disappeared  in  a  moment 
All  kinds  and  classes  of  sufferers  were  made  whole, 
whatsoever  maladies  aflflicted  them,  the  instant  they 
entered  the  pool.  A  result  which  has  never  been 
claimed  for  any  other  medicinal  waters,  at  any 
time,  or  in  anv  land.     Beside,  Bethesda  had  no  heal- 


90  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

ing  property  except  at  particular  times,  when  its 
waters  were  strangely  agitated.  All  of  which  proved 
that  the  curative  power,  whatever  it  was,  did  not 
inhere  in  the  water  in  its  natural  condition. 

Around  Bethesda  were  built  five  porches  or  porti- 
coes for  the  accommodation  of  the  sick  and  halt 
and  withered  people  who  thronged  the  place  in  hope 
of  being  cured.  The  porticoes  were  all  free,  no 
charge  being  made  for  their  occupancy ;  for  the 
Jews  never  allowed  a  tax  to  be  collected  of  the 
poor  invalids  who  sought  relief  in  these  healing 
waters ;  a  further  proof  that  they  regarded  the 
cures  as  supernatural. 

"After  this  there  was  a  feast  of  the  Jews."  John 
5:  1.  This  was  doubtless  the  feast  of  the  Pass- 
over. At  these  feasts  only  was  there  any  healing 
virtue  in  the  waters  of  Bethesda.  On  this  occasion 
"A  great  multitude  of  impotent  folk,  of  blind,  halt, 
withered,  crowded  the  porches  ;  some  on  beds,  some 
on  crutches,  some  carried  in  the  arms  of  their 
friends,  some  lying  helpless  and  friendless  on  the 
floors;  all  "waiting  for  the  moving  of  the  water." 
For  it  was  only  when  the  water  was  troubled  or  put 
in  motion  that  it  possessed  healing  virtue.  But  at 
a  "certain  season,"  probably  during  the  feast  only, 
an  "angel  went  down  and  troubled  the  water  ;  who- 
soever then  first  after  the  troubling  of  the  water, 
stepped  in,  was  made  whole  of  whatsoever  disease 
he  had."     John  5  :  4. 

Just  how  the  healing  virtue  was  communicated  to 
the  pool  no  one  can  tell ;  but  certain  it  is  that  some- 
how the  angel  of  the  Lord  had  power  to  infuse  into 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  91 

the  water  a  a  efficacy  that  instantly  cured  every 
kind  of  malady.  And  this  shows  that  angels  have, 
under  special  commission  at  least,  control  of  dis- 
eases. Nor  need  we  stumble  at  all  this,  for  in 
more  than  one  case  they  have  been  sent  to  destroy 
as  well  as  to  heal.  Life  and  death  are,  under  the 
divine  direction,  subject  to  their  will.  Doubtless 
many  instances  of  sudden  healing  of  obstinate  ail- 
ments come  of  angelic  interposition.  What  is 
called  "faith  healing,"  in  our  own  times,  when  it  is 
genuine,  may  be  regarded  as  the  merciful  ministry 
of  holy  angels.  For  if  demons — fallen  angels — 
have  power  over  human  bodies,  and  can  inflict  dis- 
eases, as  in  the  case  of  Job,  and  can  cast  into 
water  and  into  fire,  as  did  the  demons  in  Christ's 
time,  need  we  doubt  that  the  holy  angels  are  charged 
with  ability  to  counterwork  the  wicked  designs  of 
the  spirits  of  darkness?  There  are  best  of  scrip- 
tural reasons  for  believing  that  muoh  of  the  paiu 
and  sickness  we  endure  is  superinduced  by  the 
malevolence  of  bad  angels  ;  and  that  many  deliver- 
ances of  God's  people  when  all  human  ill  has  failed, 
are  to  be  attributed  to  the  power  of  the  angels  of  the 
Lord.  If  they  ministered  to  the  Saviour,  relieving 
him  from  pain  and  weakness,  as  in  the  garden  and 
after  his  sore  conflict  with  Satan  in  the  wilderness, 
why  should  they  not,  in  like  manner,  render  their 
tender  services  to  the  "followers  of  the  Lamb?" 
That  they  are  not  visible  at  our  side  amid  danger, 
nor  in  the  chambers  of  the  sick,  does  not  disprove 
their  presence.  The  angel  who  came  down  and 
troubled  the  Bethesda  pool  was,  probably,  not  seen 


92  FOOT- PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

by  the  people,  not  even  by  the  sufferers,  who 
waited  for  his  merciful  ministries  ;  yet  the  Divine 
Record  declares  that  an  angel  was  there,  and  that 
the  miraculous  cures  were  wrought  by  his  hand. 

A  most  beautiful  feature  in  the  scene  at  Bethesda 
was  the  intimate  relation  between  the  angel  and  the 
Lord  Jesus.  The  angel  troubled  the  waters  and  im- 
pregnated them  with  curative  virtue,  and  Jesus  took 
the  most  helpless  one  of  all  that  sad  company  bj' 
the  hand  and  made  him  whole  without  being  im- 
mersed in  the  troubled  pool  at  all ;  showing  that 
there  was  one  greater  even  than  the  angels,  and 
that  from  him  these  subordinate  healers  derive  all 
their  power ;  and  that  when  he,  the  infinite  healer, 
should  be  no  longer  among  them  in  person,  his  holy 
angels  would  still  be  commissioned  to  perpetuate 
his  Bethesda  work  for  the  comfort  of  his  people 
until  he  himself  shall  return  to  our  world  again. 

Some  have  thought  the  angel  in  his  work  of  mak- 
ing the  sick,  and  mained,  and  halt,  and  blind  whole 
was  a  type  of  Christ  in  his  great  redemptive  minis- 
try. Dr.  Adam  Clark  says:  "Was  not  the  whole 
a  type  of  Christ?  He  is  the  true  Bethesda  or  house 
of  mercy,  the  fountain  opened  to  the  house  of 
David,  and  to  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem,  for  sin 
and  for  uncleanness  ;  unto  which  all  the  diseased 
may  come,  and  find  health  and  life  eternal."  To 
which  we  add,  if  the  Bethesda  scene  was  typical 
then  it  follows  that  healing  the  diseases  of  the 
body,  according  to  the  will  of  God,  is  an  element 
in  Christ's  gracious  work  ;  and  that  the  angels  are 
divinely  appointed  agents  for  its  accomplishment. 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION. 


93 


Indeed,  is  it  a  more  difficult  problem  for  Chris- 
tian faith  that  the  holy  angels  should  have  power 
of  our  physical  conditions  than  that  the  Holy  Spirit 
should  control  our  mental  and  spiritual  moods  ? 

'•Surely  he  shall  deliver  thee  from  the  snare  of 
the  fowler,  and  from  the  noisome  pestilence.  He 
shall  cover  thee  with  his  feathers,  and  under  his 
wings  shalt  thou  trust ;  his  truth  shall  be  thy  shield 
and  buckler.  Thou  shalt  not  be  afraid  for  the  ter- 
ror by  night ;  nor  for  the  arrow  that  flielh  by  day  ; 
nor  for  the  pestilence  that  walketh  in  darkness  ;  nor 
for  the  destruction  that  wasteth  at  noonday.  A 
thousand  shall  fall  at  thy  side,  and  ten  thousand  at 
thy  right  hand,  but  it  shall  not  come  nigh  thee. 
Only  with  thine  eyes  shalt  thou  behold  and  see  the 
reward  of  the  wicked.  Because  thou  hast  made 
the  Lord  which  is  my  refuge,  even  the  most  High 
thy  habitation ;  there  shall  no  evil  befall  thee, 
neither  shall  any  plague  come  nigh  thy  dwelling, 
FOR  he  shall  give  his  angels  charge  over  thee,  to 
keep  thee  in  all  thy  ways.  They  shall  bear  thee  up 
in  their  hands  lest  thou  dash  thy  foot  against  a 
stone."     Ps.  91. 

What  a  graphic  description  of  personal  safety! 
How  varied  and  comprehensive  this  assurance  of 
physical  protection  !  What  an  ample  guardianship 
amidst  any  and  all  dangers  !  W^hat  foresight  and 
strength  must  be  requisite  for  such  deliverance  and 
protection !  What  tireless  and  sleepless  fidelity 
must  such  constant  and  certain  interposition  re- 
quire I  Yet  all  this  is  the  work  of  an  angel.  ''For 
he  will  give  his  angels  charge  over  thee," — to  do  all 


94  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS. 

this.  Such  power  for  protection  must  include  con- 
trol of  diseases,  and  mastery  of  all  physical  forces. 
"No  j>Za^Me  shall  come  nigh  thy  dwelling."  There 
may  come  around  thee  the  bloody  clash  of  arms, 
and  "ten  thousand  may  fall  at  thy  right  hand  but  it 
shall  not  come  nigh  thee." 

How  subduing,  how  sacred,  how  comforting  the 
assurance  that : 

♦'Angels  now  are  hovering  round  us ; 
Unperceived  they  mix  the  throng." 

And  so  it  surely  is ;  these  holy  ones  of  heaven 
find  it  their  chief  delight  to  spread  the  shield  of 
their  tender  love  over  the  head  of  helpless  infancy  ; 
and  steady  the  faltering  steps  of  trembling  age 
along  the  margin  of  the  tomb  ;  and  shed  from  their 
radiant  wings  the  smile  of  peace  and  rest  which  so 
often  settles  on  the  faces  of  the  holy  dead. 

Yes,  the  angel  hosts  are  the  executors  of  the 
providence  of  heaven.  They  do  the  behests  of  the 
infinite  love  towards  the  "church  of  the  first-born" 
in  her  tearful  pilgrimage  through  this  shadowy  life. 
They  unfalteringly  attend  her  going  out  and  her 
coming  in.  They  guard  her  when,  in  her  tents,  she 
slumbers,  and  when,  under  burning  skies,  she 
presses  on  in  her  sore  journeyings  towards  the  fra- 
grant shores  of  rest.  They  are  near  when  earth's 
best  beloved  are  afar.  They  leave  us  not  when 
human  friendship  decay.  They  are  not  missing 
when  fortune  frowns  and  want  darkens  the  fireside. 
They  depart  not  when  forms  beloved  are  borne 
from  our  sight.  They  stand,  unseen  maybe,  beside 
the  empty  chair  and  beckon  us  to  resurrection  glory. 


CHAPTER  X. 
flngels  Assist  in  the  Work  of  Salvation. 


The  incessant  and  intense  devotion  of  tlie  lioly 
angels  to  tlie  Lord  Jesus  from  his  birth  to  his  as- 
cension must  extend  to  all  his  gracious  work,  both 
in  heaven  and  on  earth.  We  may  believe  that  a 
distinguishing  phase  of  their  constant  ministrations 
is  active  and  effective  participation  in  the  work  of 
turning  sinners  to  God.  Their  quenchless  desire 
for  their  Master's  success  in  his  vast  undertaking  to 
recover  a  belligerent  world  ;  their  deep  and  pure 
sympathy  with  him  in  his  personal  intercession  at 
the  throne  in  heaven  ;  their  sacred  love  for  a  be- 
trayed race  ;  their  burning  zeal  for  the  defeat  of 
the  rebellious  sons  of  the  morning,  and  their  de- 
light in  the  holiness  and  happiness  of  the  saved ; 
these  all  conspire  to  make  them  willing  and  grateful 
ministers  in  winning  bewildered,  guilty  sinners  to 
the  fold  of  the  great  Shepherd.  Surely  they  must 
be  more  than  curious  observers  of  the  grand  strug- 
gle in  the  realm  of  mercy  and  grace,  waxing  more 
and  more  intense  as  the  years  rush  on  and  the  end 
draws  near.  It  is  impossible  that  they  should  be 
content  to  watch  from  the  battlements  of  the  skies 


96  FOOT- PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

the  friends  of  Jesus  contending  with  the  principali- 
ties and  powers  of  darkness,  fighting  nobly  against 
vast  odds,  sealing  their  fidelity  with  their  willing 
blood,  and  not  interpose  their  strong  arms,  nor 
cover  the  fainting  ranks  with  their  invincible  shields. 
They  cannot  witness  the  tears  and  prayers  and 
pleadings  of  the  saints  for  the  rescue  of  perishing 
ones  dear  to  themselves  and  precious  to  the  Sav- 
iour, and  remain  silent  in  heaven.  The  sight  of 
the  bloodstained  banners  of  the  cross,  on  ten 
thousand  fields,  must  fire  their  seraphic  natures 
with  irrepressible  enthusiasm  to  mingle  in  the  holy 
conflict  and  help  to  bear  off  trophies  to  their  Mas- 
ter's power  to  ransom  those  for  whom  he  died. 
"The  cries  of  the  wounded  and  the  shouts  of  the 
redeemed"  bring  recruits  from  above  till  there  are 
more  angels  on  earth  than  in  heaven. 

They  are  in  every  pulpit  which  in  the  power  of 
Christ's  constraining  love  calls  the  lost  sons  of 
men  to  repentance.  They  lead  the  way  of  all  true 
workers  who  heroically  advance  into  the  "high- 
ways and  hedges."  They  doubly  guard  the  desolate 
and  sore  stricken  wife  and  mother  who  enters  the 
saloon — that  vestibule  of  hell — to  win  home  the  vic- 
tims of  the  cup.  They  take  passage  on  all  mis- 
sionary ships  which  really  carry  the  glad  tidings  to 
dark  lands,  as  they  sailed  with  Paul  on  his  adven- 
turous voyage  to  Rome.  They  bend  over  every 
altar  on  Christian  or  on  heathen  shores,  where  sin- 
sick  souls  seek  the  crucified  Saviour.  They  throng 
the  green  banks  of  all  Bethesda  fountains  where  be- 
lievers are  buried,  in  baptism,  with  their  Lord.     In 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  97 

all  the  fields  of  mercy  and  grace  they  mingle  with 
the  reapers,  and  lend  an  unseen  hand  in  binding  up 
the  sheaves.  And  in  the  harvest  home  theirs  will 
be  a  grandly  joyful  part. 

Now,  does  this  accord  with  the  Holy  Oracles  of 
God?  Luther  said  :  '-One  plain  text  is  as  good  as 
forty."  And  this  thrilling  theme  is  encircled  by 
more  than  forty  inspired  assurances.  Take  the  fol- 
lowing as  examples. 

'^But  to  which  of  the  angels  said  he  at  any  time, 
sit  on  my  right  hand  until  I  make  thy  enemies  thy 
footstool  ?  '^\re  they  not  all  ministering  spirits  sent 
forth  to  minister  for  them  who  shall  be  heirs  of  sal- 
vation?" Heb.  1  :  14.  That  is,  they  are  all  minis- 
tering spirits  ;  for  the  Hebrews  often  express  the 
strongest  affirmative  by  an  interrogation. 

Let  it  be  noted  that  the  '•^spirits''  in  the  14th 
verse  are  stated  to  be  ^^ angels''  in  the  13th  verse. 
'^They"  in  the  14th  relates  to  ''angels^^  in  the  13th. 
There  cannot  be  any  dispute  about  the  meaning  of 
these  words.  It  is  the  holy  angels  of  whom  the 
apostle  is  here  speaking. 

'''Sent  foM\  From  God  ;  from  the  throne  ;  from 
heaven.  To  our  world  where  they  "that  shall  be 
heirs  of  salvation"  are.  So  the  angels  actually 
come,  come  in  person,  to  men,  "sent  forth"  by  the 
Lord. 

"To  minister  to''  or  '•'serve.''  Not  to  observe  and 
report ;  but  to  serve;  to  aid  ;  to  take  part  in  the  sal- 
vation of  those  who  shall  be  heirs.  Can  any  words 
more  plainly  teach  that,  somehow,  the  angels  of 
God    do   actually   participate    in   the    instrumental 


98  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

work  of  bringing  sinners  to  Christ— of  saving  lost 
men?  We  do  not,  we  cannot,  doubt  that  the  heav- 
enly ones  really  and  most  effectively  join  in  all  the 
efforts  of  the  Christian  church  and  workers  to  turn 
sinful  men  to  repentance  and  salvation.  This  Scrip- 
ture alone  settles  the  whole  matter.  And  St.  Paul 
who  thus  taught  the  Hebrew  church,  doubtless 
wrote  from  vivid  recollections  of  the  wonderful 
part  which  the  angels  bore  in  his  own  miraculous 
conversion  and  ministerial  work.  He  was  too  famil- 
iar with  angels  to  doubt  their  presence  among  men. 
And  he  knew  quite  too  well  the  value  of  their  ser- 
vices in  the  work  of  salvation  to  allow  the  church 
to  be  indifferent  to  their  co-operation.  With  him 
angelic  ministry  was  as  real  as  his  own  ministry. 

And  here  is  another  scripture  which  glows  with 
angelic  delight  in  the  work  of  Christ. 

"Likewise  I  say  unto  you,  there  is  joy  in  the 
presence  of  the  angels  of  God  over  one  sinner  that 
repenteth."     Luke  15  ;  10. 

We  know  not  that  the  angels  in  heaven  are  al- 
ways joyful.  There  is  silence  in  heaven  sometimes  ; 
and  may  there  not  sometimes  be  sadness?  When 
the  malign  invader  entered  the  fair  garden  in  Eden 
with  dark  designs  toward  the  happy  creatures  who 
reposed  amid  its  fragrant  flowers,  and  with  fiendish 
cunning  seduced  them  from  their  loyalty  to  their 
loving  Creator,  did  not  a  feeling  of  gloom  fall  on 
the  holy  worshippers  around  the  throne  ?  Were  not 
the  angels  sad  when  they  saw  Eve  listening  to  the 
tempter?  Did  not  a  shade  of  sorrow  pass  over 
their  bright  faces  as  they  heard  the  acclaim  of  tri- 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  99 

umph  from  * 'demons  damned'*  when  those  blissful 
children  of  paradise  turned  their  faces  away  from 
the  smiles  of  the  throne,  and  gave  credence  to 
Satan  rather  than  to  God  ?  Was  there  not  gloom 
in  heaven  when  a  race  was  swept  into  sin,  and  a 
fair  creation  fell  from  primal  splendor  and  peace  ? 
Was  there  not  silence  of  harp  and  voice  when  the 
blight  and  curse  swept  over  the  fair  domain,  and  all 
its  royal  beauty  was  eclipsed  ? 

But  when  the  decree  from  the  Throne  went  forth  : 
"The  seed  of  the  woman  shall  bruise  the  serpent's 
head,"  from  all  the  sersphs  of  the  skies  rolled  in 
mighty  volume  a  responsive,  triumphant — Amen. 
And  from  that  glad  moment  every  triumph  of  the 
Saviour,  every  victory  of  his  cross,  every  trophy  of 
his  grace  has  filled  the  hearts  of  the  holy  angels 
with  supreme  delight.  With  eager  interest  they 
have  watched  the  progress  of  the  tidings  of  redemp- 
tion, and  witnessed  with  ecstatic  pleasure  the  con- 
quests of  gospel  grace.  Great  was  their  joy  at 
creation's  birth,  but  greater  far  when  a  benighted 
soul  is  recovered,  and  a  lost  sinner  is  converted  to 
God.  Every  falling  tear  of  repentant  souls  awak- 
ens a  new  strain  of  gladness  among  the  harpers  of 
the  heavenly  world.  A  peculiar  happiness  fills  the 
seraphic  bpsom  when  a  victim  of  sin  is  rescued, 
and  a  servant  of  Satan  becomes  the  friend  of 
Christ. 

But  how  do  the  angels  know  when  a  sinner  re- 
pents? Let  the  Master  answer:  "Verily,  verily,  I 
say  unto  you,  hereafter  ye  shall  see  heaven  open, 


100  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

and  the  angels  of  God  ascending  and  descending 
upon  the  Son  of  man."     John  1  :  51. 

The  ascending  and  descending  of  the  angels  upon 
the  Son  of  man  is  a  metaphor  borrowed  from  the 
custom  of  sending  couriers  to  embassadors  at  for- 
eign courts,  by  which  Christ  must  have  intended  to 
teach  that  constant  intercourse  is  kept  up  between 
earth,  the  scene  of  God's  gracious  work,  and  the 
court  of  heaven,  by  means  of  angelic  embassage. 
And  when  the  holy  messengers,  who  attend  all  the 
work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  and  of  the  church  on  earth, 
■carry  the  glad  news  of  the  repentance  of  sinners 
up  to  the  courts  above,  not  only  is  Jesus  made 
glad,  but  all  the  angels  around  the  throne  are  filled 
with  a  new  joy  ;  and  though  it  be  but  "07?e  sinner 
who  repenteth,"  they  strike  their  harps  and  join 
their  seraphic  voices  in  fresh  delight.  The  angels  are 
not  omniscient,  and  they  can  only  know  when  sin- 
ners repent  by  being  present  and  witnessing  the 
penitential  tear.  And  the  heavenly  hosts  can  know 
only  by  the  ministering  ones  flying  swiftly  to  bear 
the  news  above. 

How  exhilarating  to  Christian  toilers  to  be  as- 
sured the  angels  of  God  are  their  co-workers  and 
mighty  allies  in  all  their  efforts  to  reach  and  win 
lost  souls  !  How  often  it  chances  that  the  most  in- 
corrigible, after  all  human  effort  has  seemed  to  fail, 
are  suddenly  overwhelmed  with  fear  and  conviction, 
and,  turning  to  Christ,  declare  that  they  heard  a 
voice,  or  saw  some  omen,  which  so  wrought  on 
them  that  they  were  constrained  to  sue  for  mercy. 
We  have  known  of  hardened  men  being  arrested, 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  101 

in  the  midst  of  their  evil  work,  by  an  audible  warn- 
ing, which  so  startled  them  that  they  could  neither 
eat  nor  sleep  till  they  sought  God  in  penitence  and 
anguish  of  soul.  And  instances  are  not  wanting, 
even  in  recent  times,  of  the  personal  visitation  of 
angelic  beings,  which  resulted  in  the  conversion  of 
desperately  wicked  men.  There  can  be  no  doubt 
that  jointly  with  the  influence  of  preaching,  prav- 
ing,  reading  the  Word  ;  and  in  conjunction  with  the 
power  of  the  Spirit,  direct  angelic  ministrations  are 
a  potent  factor  in  all  the  work  of  redemption  ;  and 
that  it  is  a  chief  pleasure  of  the  cherubic  hosts  to 
participate  in  foiling  the  designs  of  evil  spirits,  and 
rescuing  their  victims  from  ruin  and  endless  death. 

Even  Satan  himself  recognizes  the  ministry  of 
the  loyal  angels.  In  2  Cor.  11  :  14,  we  find  this 
remarkable  statement  of  St.  Paul:  "For  even  Sa- 
tan fashioneth  himself  into  an  angel  of  light  " 
(R  V.)  Now  what  is  Satan's  object  in  imperson- 
ating good  angels — in  passing  himself  off  as  an 
"angel  of  light" — but  to  secure  the  confidence  of 
saints  that  he  may  more  easily  deceive  and  injure 
them?  But  would  the  arch  devil,  who  has  lost 
none  of  his  intelligence  by  his  apostacy,  undertake 
to  imitate  the  angels  of  light,  in  their  ministry  to 
saints,  if  nothing  of  the  kind  exists?  In  the  chapter 
from  which  we  have  quoted  the  apostle  compares 
false  ministers  who  assumes  a  righteous  char- 
acter which  they  do  not  possess,  to  Satan  who  rep- 
resents himself  as  an  "angel  of  light,"  that  he  may 
countervail  the  influence  of  holy  angels  in  deliver- 
ing and  saving  men.     "When  the  chief  of  the  fallen 


102  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

spirits  presents  himself  to  the  church  as  a  good  an- 
gel he  thereby  distinctly  confesses  that  there  are 
''angels  of  light"  and  loyalty  whose  ministry  of 
mercy  he  desires  to  frustrate. 

Nor  is  this  cunning  strategy  of  the  chief  of  dev- 
ils altogether  unsuccessful.  He  often  approaches 
unwary  saints,  who  are  not  familiar  with  his  de- 
vices, in  most  sanctimonious  seeming.  And  under 
pretense  of  giving  new  light,  and  leading  to  greater 
achievements  of  faith,  he  plunges  his  deceived  vic- 
tims into  fanaticism,  and  self-conceited  absurdities 
which  end  in  spiritual  disaster. 

It  was  in  just  this  way  that  he  deceived  and 
seduced  the  first  pair  in  the  garden.  And  from  that 
sad  hour  to  this  he  has  used  his  favorite  scheme  of 
pretending  to  be  an  angel  of  light,  with  fruitful 
success.  When  once  he  is  received  as  a  good  an- 
gel, his  way  is  clear  for  all  infamous  designs. 
Sometimes  he  deludes  his  unsuspecting  subject  with 
the  belief  that  he  is  holy  above  his  brethren ;  that 
he  is  a  favorite  with  Christ ;  that  he  is  so  completely 
led  by  the  Spirit  that  he  cannot  sin ;  that  God 
wants  to  make  of  him  some  wonderful  example  of 
faith  ;  that  he  can  walk  on  the  water  and  not  sink  ; 
that  he  is  commanded  to  slay  some  human  being, 
as  Abraham  was  told  to  offer  Isaac,  and  God  will 
raise  him  up  again.  Now  all  these  wicked  ends 
Satan  accomplishes  by  first  getting  himself  recog- 
nized as  an  "angel  of  light."  But  in. so  doing  he 
confesses  that  there  are  good  and  true  angels  who 
maintain  a  righteous  and  saving  ministry  over  the 
church  in  her  militant  state. 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  IQ^ 

Under  the  present  dominance  of  evil  every  good 
thing  has  its  counterfeit.  Even  the  ministrations  of 
God's  holy  angels  are  attended,  step  by  step,  by 
the  base  imitations  of  evil  angels,  whose  darlv  work 
it  is  first  to  delude,  then  to  destroy.  But  we  must 
not  renounce  the  gracious  work  of  the  pure  and 
commissioned  sons  of  light  because  the  spirits  of 
darkness  flaunt  their  malicious  power. 


CHAPTER  XI. 
Angels   in   Patmos. 


St.  John  was  sent  to  Patmos  for  banishment  and 
solitude ;  but  never  was  prince  or  potentate  so 
grandly  attended  by  guests  so  royal.  Scarcely 
had  his  weary  feet  touched  those  sterile  shores — ere 
he  could  feel  the  silent  loneliness — when  the 
Spirit's  flashing  light,  and  the  glory  of  angelic 
presence  changed  the  desolation  into  the  beauty 
of  heaven  ;  and  that  barren  Palmosa,  in  the  -^gean 
Sea,was  nearer  the  infinite  throne  than  any  other  spot 
of  earth.  As  soon  as  that  cheerless  isle  became  the 
home  of  the  beloved  disciple,  in  exile  for  his  devo- 
tion to  Christ,  its  dreary  wastes  glowed  with  the 
light  of  angelic  ministry ;  and  its  solitude  was 
broken  by  the  melody  of  seraphic  voices. 

The  Lord  Jesus  turned  the  banishment  of  his 
faithful  servant  into  occasion  for  the  most  wonder- 
ful and  glorious  revelations  ever  made  to  a  mortal 
man ;  an  unfolding  of  events  covering  the  career 
of  the  nations  and  the  progress  and  experience  of 
the  church  thenceforth  to  the  end  of  time.  Those 
grand  and  awful  revelations  were  intended  for  the 
enlightenment  of   the  saints  through  the  centuries 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  105 

to  follow,  including  the  last  scenes  of  human 
history,  and  the  opening  grandeurs  of  the  world 
to  come.  But  the  '•''Revelation''  was  first  made  to 
Jesus  by  God  his  Father.  But  Christ  was  already 
at  the  right  hand  of  the  throne  in  heaven  prose- 
cuting his  official  intercessory  priesthood  which  he 
could  not  abandon  even  for  an  hour,  without  break- 
ing the  Scriptures.  How  could  he  convey  to  his 
church  on  earth  all  the  words  and  scenes  of  the 
new  unveiling  which  the  Father  had  made  to  him  ? 
To  whom,  in  all  the  universe,  could  he  entrust  mat- 
ters so  infinitely  pregnant  with  the  destinies  of 
worlds?  Simply  human  lips  were  unworthy  even 
to  repeat  things  so  august.  There  was  his  servant 
John  in  far  away  Patmos.  But  he  was  only  a  man. 
And  then,  how  could  the  new  wonders  be  made 
known  to  him  ? 

First  of  all  the  Holy  Spirit  was  sent  to  the  apos- 
tle to  suffuse  his  being  with  superhuman  light  and 
strength,  exalting  all  his  faculties  into  a  state  of 
rapture  and  intensity  adequate  to  communications 
directly  from  the  courts  of  God.  And  this  is 
John's  way  of  stating  his  mood  of  mind  and  heart ; 
'-''I  icas  in  the  Spirit  on  the  Lord's  day."  Super- 
naturally  prepared  he  waited  for  what  heaven  had 
to  make  known  to  him. 

But  where  is  the  messenger,  high  enough,  holy 
enough,  swift  enough  to  be  sent  on  embassage  so 
divine?  Who  shall  be  honored  by  representing  the 
court  of  Jehovah  in  a  distant  and  belligerent 
world?  Into  whose  hands  and  lips  shall  be  com- 
mitted the  unveiling  of  messages  the  miscarriage  of 


106  FOOT-PKINTS  OF  ANGELS 

which,  in  one  jot  or  tittle,  would  wreck  an  under- 
taking far  more  grave  than  the  creation  of  a  world. 

From  among  the  shining  hosts  that  ever  wait 
around  the  throne  one  is  chosen — a  holy  angel — 
and  from  Jesus  the  Christ  he  receives  commission 
to  fly  swiftly  to  the  "isle  that  is  called  Patmos"  and 
reveal  to  St.  John  all  the  "things  which  must 
shortly  come  to  pass." 

"The  Revelation  of  Jesus  Christ,  which  God 
gave  unto  him  to  show  unto  his  servants,  even  the 
things  which  must  shortly  come  to  pass  ;  and  he 
seiit  and  signified  it  by  his  angel  unto  his  servant 
John ;  who  bare  witness  of  the  word  of  God,  and 
of  the  testimony  of  Jesus  Christ,  even  of  all  things 
that  he  saw."     Rev.  1  :  1,2. 

Amazing  truth  !  An  angel  is  taken  into  the  coun- 
sels of  the  Father  and  the  Son  !  To  an  angel  are 
entrusted  most  critical  transactions  in  the  redemp- 
tive work  of  the  Son  of  God  !  An  angel  is  an 
equal  agent  with  the  Spirit  of  God  in  matters  of 
divine  revelation !  An  angel  acts  and  speaks  in 
Christ's  stead,  when  life  or  death  depends  upon  his 
word  !  An  angel  is  charged  with  the  last  message 
of  heaven  to  earth!  Jehovah  made  "The  Revela- 
tion" to  Jesus  Christ ;  and  Christ  communicated 
"The  Revelation"  to  his  angel;  and  his  angel,  by 
special  commission,  conveyed  "The  Revelation,"  to 
John  in  Patmos  ;  and  John  communicated  all  things 
that  he  saw  to  the  churches. 

Thus,  unmistakably  and  most  vividly,  is  angelic 
ministry  interwoven  with  all  the  work  of  revelation 
and  grace  ;  enacting  solemn  and  most  delicate  mis- 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  107 

siona  in  the  proclamation  of  divine  messages  to  the 
church  and  to  the  nations.  It  may  be  that  there 
are  angels  of  state,  who  are  retained  for  special 
administrative  services,  as  in  this  case  of  the  angel 
sent  to  Patmos  ;  who  are  engaged  in  visitations  to 
governments,  and  rulers,  and  courts,  and  armies  ; 
who  exercise  the  combinins:  and  controlling  influ- 
ence,  over  great  events,  which  we  call  '•'provi- 
dence ;"  who  are  put  in  charge  of  the  historic  fuliill- 
ment  of  God's  prophetic  word,  seeing  to  it  that  no 
jot  or  tittle  fails.  History  is  full  of  instances  of 
sudden  and  unexpected  procedure  of  armies  and 
bodies  of  men,  who  can  give  no  natural  reason  for 
their  own  conduct.  Great  military  movements  are 
checked  and  changed  in  ways  entirely  inscrutable. 
Who  can  deny  that  the  inexplicable  falling  back  of 
the  Roman  army  in  the  siege  of  Jerusalem  was 
caused  by  angelic  influence,  so  that  God's  people 
might  escape  to  the  mountains,  as  the  holy  oracles 
had  predicted  ?  May  we  not  believe  that  the  terrific 
storm  at  sea  which  made  the  Spanish  Armada  a  pit- 
iable and  helpless  wreck,  was  called  up  by  the  power 
of  angels  over  the  elements,  for  the  protection  of 
England  as  the  stronghold  of  the  Protestant  faith? 
In  the  light  of  Old  Testament  history  and  of  the 
apostolic  period,  it  is  not  difficult  to  believe  that 
the  terrific  thunder-storm  that  burst  on  Rome  and 
the  Vatican  at  the  moment  when  the  Pope  waa 
impiously  proclaiming  himself  infallible,  and  blas- 
phemously assuming  the  prerogatives  of  God,  was 
raised  to  its  strange  fury  by  angelic  interposition. 
Did  not  the  incensed  heralds  of  the  Almighty  break 


108  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

the  terrific  thunders  over  the  guilty  head  of  the 
*'Man  of  sin,"  and  flash  the  red  lightnings  in  his 
brazen  face  ? 

"And  he  [Christ]  sent  and  signified  it  by  his  ari- 
gel  to  his  servant  John."  Rev.  1:1.  The  word 
^^ signify'^  means  to  point  out  or  show  by  tokens  or 
emblems.  The  angel  sent  to  John  not  only  ap- 
peared to  him  personally  and  talked  with  him,  but 
he  presented  to  his  enraptured  view,  in  emblems, 
all  the  wonderful  things  which  he  "saiu."  He  was 
commissioned  to  unfold  to  the  apostle,  in  appropri- 
ate signs  and  symbols,  the  entire  Revelation  which 
God  had  given  to  Jesus.  This  he  did  in  a  succes- 
sion of  views  and  scenic  representations,  some  laid 
in  heaven,  and  some  on  earth  ;  the  whole  covering, 
it  seems  likely,  a  number  of  days. 

THE   ANGELS    WORSHIP    HIM   WHO    OPENED   THE    BOOK. 

St.  John  beheld  an  impressive  transaction  in 
heaven.  He  saw  the  throne  and  him  that  sat  on  it. 
And  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Infinite  Majesty  he 
saw  a  singular  book.  It  was  written  within,  and 
inscribed  on  the  back  side  ;  the,  inscription  indi- 
cating the  great  importance  of  its  contents  ;  and  it 
was  sealed  with  seven  seals  ;  the  number  of  the 
seals  showing  the  sacredness  of  the  book,  and  the 
skill  and  strength  required  to  open  it.  And  as  he 
looked  in  wonder  on  the  strangely  sealed  volume  he 
saw  an  angel  proclaiming,  "Who  is  worthy  to  open 
the  book  and  to  loose  the  seals  thereof?"  The 
angel  was  scarcely  less  notable  than  the  book.  He 
was  unusually  "strong,"  and  his  voice  was  mighty. 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  109 

Loiid  and  long  was  his  proclamation  made,  reaching 
the  farthest  ends  of  the  earth,  and  reverberating 
through  all  the  dismal  caverns  of  the  alien  hosts. 
But  no  response  was  heard,  for  "No  man  in  heaven,. 
nor  in  earth,  nor  under  the  earth  was  able  to  open 
the  book,  neither  to  look  thereon."     Rev.  5  :  3. 

80  deeply  was  John  impressed  with  the  signifi- 
cahceof  the  wonderful  volume  that  he  ''wept  much'* 
because  no  one  was  found  worthy  to  open  and  read 
it.  But  one  of  the  elders  informed  him,  to  his  great 
joy,  that  the  "Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Juda,  the  root 
of  David,  had  prevailed  to  open  the  book,  and  to 
loose  the  seven  seals  thereof."  Then  the  scene  as- 
sumed a  new  and  imposing  aspect.  In  the  midst 
of  the  throne  and  the  beasts  and  the  elders,  stood 
a  Lamb  as  it  had  been  slain,  and  he  came  and  took 
the  book  from  the  hand  of  him  who  sat  on  the 
throne.  This  was  the  signal  for  a  great  outburst 
of  joy.  The  whole  company  of  the  elders,  and  all 
the  living  creatures  prostrated  themselves  at  the 
feet  of  the  Lamb,  each  one  having  a  harp  and  a 
vial  full  of  odors.  And  then  arose  a  mighty  chorus 
of  voices,  interblended  with  the  music  of  their 
harps  ;  and  they  sung  in  strains  of  new  and  won- 
drous melody,  a  song  never  heard  before  in  heaven 
or  earth :  "Thou  art  worthy  to  take  the  book  and 
to  open  the  seals  thereof  ;  for  thou  wast  slain,  and 
hast  redeemed  us  to  God  by  thy  blood  out  of  every 
kindred,  and  tongue,  und  people  ;  and  hast  made  us 
unto  our  God  kings  and  priests  ;  and  we  shall  reign 
on  the  earth."     Rev.  5  :  9-10. 

An  ajigel  had  made  the  proclamation  ;  but  could 


110  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

heaDd  his  fellow  seraphs  take  part  in  the  worship  and 
the  song?  It  is  a  prevalent  sentiment  that  the  holy 
ones  of  heaven  cannot  participate  in  praise  to  God 
and  Christ  because  they  have  not  experienced  par- 
doning grace,  not  being  subjects  of  redemption  by 
the  blood  of  the  Lamb.  But  this  is  erroneous. 
True,  they  cannot  share  the  peculiar  joy  of  forgiven 
and  redeemed  men.  But  they  can,  after  the  higUer 
order  of  their  sensibilities,  profoundly  sympathize 
with  the  saved  hosts,  and  enter  into  admiration  and 
praise  of  the  Son  of  God  for  his  manifestation  of 
love  for  his  enemies,  and  his  infinite  sacrifice  to 
rescue  a  helpless  race.  Do  not  men  enter  most 
heartily  into  the  joy  and  happiness  of  those  who 
have  been  rescued  from  some  great  peril,  though 
themselves  were  not  involved  in  the  danger?  And 
do  we  not  enthusiastically  join  in  praise  of  the  self- 
forgetful  deliverer,  though  he  did  nothing  for  us 
personally?  How  often  the  whole  world  is  moved 
to  tearful  and  most  tender  admiration  of  some  brave 
fellow  who  imperiled  his  own  life  to  save  others. 

And  how  can  the  holy  angels  of  God,  with  their 
pure  and  exquisite  sympathies,  fail  to  be  moved  to 
most  lofty  and  glowing  delight  at  the  rescue  of  sin- 
ners by  the  mercy  of  heaven  ?  And  how  can  they 
refrain  from  adoration  of  him  who  gladly  poured 
out  his  own  life  for  the  ransom  of  the  doomed  pris- 
oners of  sin  and  death? 

Look  again  at  this  thrilling  scene  of  song  and 
joy  around  the  throne  of  heaven.  "And  I  beheld 
and  heard  the  voice  of  many  angels  round  about 
the  throne  and  the  living  creatures  and  the  elders ; 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  Ill 

and  the  number  of  them  was  ten  thousand  times 
ten  thousand,  and  thousands  of  thousands."  And 
they  all  united, — the  angels  with  the  rest — in  as- 
cribing blessing,  and  honor  and  glory  and  power  to 
him  who  had  broken  the  seals  and  opened  the  book. 
Surely  the  loyal  and  loving  angels  who  sang  in 
gladness  at  the  birth,  and  comforted  the  Saviour  in 
the  garden,  and  in  the  wilderness,  and  opened  the 
sealed  mouth  of  his  tomb,  and  were  first  to  publish 
his  rising,  do  not  forget  to  shout  anew  in  heaven  at 
every  trophy  of  his  grace  ;  and  when  "the  redeemed 
of  the  ages"  shall  throng  the  hills  of  God,  and  the 
great,  boundless,  endless  "new  song"  shall  break 
from  myriad  lips  of  the  blood- washed,  the  '•Hivelve 
legions"  will  not  stand  mute,  with  the  silent  voice 
and  harp.  If  they  cannot  help  swell  the  sweet  re- 
frain :  "Who  hath  washed  us  in  his  blood,"  they 
can  touch  the  highest  notes  of:  "Worthy  is  the 
Lamb  that  was  to  receive  power  and  riches,  and 
wisdom,  and  strength,  and  honor,  and  glory,  and 
blessing." 

ANGELS    HOLD   THE    WINDS. 

"And  after  these  things  I  saw  four  angels  stand- 
ing on  the  four  corners  of  the  earth,  holding  the 
four  winds  of  the  earth,  that  the  wind  should  not 
blow  on  the  earth,  nor  on  the  sea,  nor  upon  any 
tree."     Rev.  7:1. 

It  may  be  very  difficult  to  determine  just  what 
the  "/oi<r  idnds'*  were  intended  to  symbolize. 
Some  think  great  wars  of  universal  prevalence  are 
meant ;    and   some    say,    terrific    physical    disturb- 


112  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

ances.  But  certain  it  is  that  vast  and  fearful 
national  calamities,  of  some  kind,  are  prefigured, 
which  will  affect  the  whole  creation ;  occurring 
immediately  previous  to  the  final  judgment  scenes. 
But  whatever  the  mighty  and  destructive  forces, 
here  pointed  out  may  be,  the  angels  are  represented 
as  holding  them  in  positive  control.  If  great  gov- 
ernments and  peoples  are  eager  for  bloody  conflict 
they  are  held  in  check  by  angelic  influence  ;  bind- 
ing councils,  cabinets  and  kings.  If  pent-up  natu- 
ral forces  are  ready  for  appalling  disruption,  an- 
gelic hands  are  on  the  valves  staying  the  wild  ener- 
gies until  the  saints  of  God  shall  be  sealed.  If 
hostile  armaments  are  all  prepared  for  mutual  and 
universal  assault  and  carnage,  not  a  ship  of  war  can 
weigh  its  anchor  ;  not  a  battery  can  be  planted  ;  no 
line  of  march  can  be  taken  up  ;  no  sword  can  be 
unsheathed ;  no  alliances  can  be  executed ;  not  a 
drop  of  blood  can  be  shed  until  the  four  angels 
shall  loose  the  winds.  No  rage  of  nations  ;  no  skill 
of  great  commanders  ;  no  decree  of  councils  of  war 
can  enforce  a  collision  while  a  single  child  of  God 
is  exposed  to  the  fury  of  the  conflict.  What  vast 
power  is  vested  in  the  superintendence  of  holy 
angels.  How  majestic  the  conception !  On  the 
"four  corners  of  the  earth"  stand  four  stalwart 
seraphs  of  heaven,  clasping  their  unseen  hands 
across  continents  and  seas,  keeping  the  peace  of 
the  world !  No  voice  is  heard,  no  banner  seen ; 
but  there  they  stand,  silent  but  mighty ;  and  be- 
neath their  sleepless  eyes  men  and  nature,  and 
furious  demons  are  held  at  bay,  until  every  servant 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  113 

of  God  is  covered  and  made  secure.  How  grand  ! 
Four  angels  the  joint  monarchs  of  the  world  ;  the 
arbiters  of  national  destiny  !  The  winds  and  waves 
obey  their  behest ;  and  flashing  swords  refuse  to  kill 
or  hurt  at  their  nod.  This  great,  wild,  rolling  orb, 
pressed  by  their  feet,  grows  calm,  and  not  a  "tree" 
or  any  living  thing  is  "hurt"  without  their  com- 
mand. True  they  are  not  God  ;  but  they  are  Je- 
hovah's ministers,  by  whose  skill  and  strength  he 
governs,  in  part,  this  nether  workl.  Bearing  com- 
missions from  heaven,  the  plotting  of  despots,  the 
cunning  of  courts,  backed  by  gold  and  arms,  can- 
not annul  their  sway  nor  force  their  retreat.  They 
are  here  to  stay  till  earth's  sad  drama  is  finished. 

AN   ANGEL    SEALING   THE    HEIRS    OF    SALVATION. 

"And  I  saw  another  angel  ascending  from  the 
east,  having  the  seal  of  the  living  God  ;  and  he 
cried  aloud  to  the  four  angels,  to  whom  it  was 
given  to  hurt  the  earth  and  the  sea.  Saying.  "Hurt 
not  the  earth  neither  the  sea,  nor  the  trees,  till  we 
have  sealed  the  servants  of  our  God  in  their  fore- 
heads."    Rev.  7  :  2,  3. 

Here  an  angel  is  represented  as  the  chancellor  of 
God  himself,  bearing  the  ^^seal  of  the  living  God," 
entrusted  with  setting  the  divine  signet  on  the  brow 
of  the  sons  and  daughters  of  the  Almighty.  Who- 
ever received  this  angelic  signature  was  safe  from 
the  terrors  of  the  "four  winds;"  and  was  assured 
of  recognition  by  the  throne  of  heaven  as  an  heir 
of  the  eternal  kingdom.  Just  what  the  sealing  is, 
or  is  to  be,  we  cannot  tell.     But  this  is  clear,  that 


114  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS. 

it  is  the  mark  of  God  by  which  his  people  are  to  be 
distinguished  from  the  wicked  ;  and  by  which  they 
are  to  be  protected  from  the  final  judgments  of 
heaven  on  sinners.  And  the  solemn  and  critical 
trust  of  thus  designating  the  children  of  the  Lord 
is  committed  to  angels.  And  this  implies  their 
accurate  and  absolute  knowledge  of  the  character 
of  men,  and  the  relation  of  each  one  to  the  great 
matter  of  salvation.  They  must  have  perfect  per- 
ception of  who  the  saints  are.  They  must  be  able 
to  distinguish  the  righteous  at  a  glance  under  any 
circumstances.  It  must  be  utterly  impossible  for 
them  to  be  deceived  by  false  appearances,  or  by 
impious  pretence,  or  by  the  testimony  of  their  fel- 
lows. No  illusion  of  pious  seeming  or  personal 
charms  can  dim  their  unerring  scrutiny.  The  lack 
of  the  wedding  garment  they  instantly  discern,  in 
palace  or  hovel.  For  the  slightest  mistake  in 
"'Sealing''  would  admit  a  demon  into  heaven,  or 
banish  a  saint  to  endless  night.  And  this  delicate 
work  which  marks  eternal  destiny  is  committed  to 
angels.  What  confidence  the  Almighty  must  have 
in  these  holy  ones  who  have  been  true  through  the 
numberless  ages. 


CHAPTER  XII. 
An  Angel  Preaches  the  Gospel, 


'  *'And  I  saw  another  angel  fly  in  the  midst  of 
heaven,  having  the  everlasting  gospel  to  preach  to 
them  that  dwell  on  the  earth,  and  to  every  nation, 
and  kindred,  and  tongue,  and  people."  Rev.  14  :  6. 
We  give  entire  the  views  of  Horatius  Bonar, 
D.  D.,  upon  this  text.  "This  world-wide  proc- 
lamation of  the  glad  message  has  been  going  on 
for  ages.  It  is  to  be  wider,  and  louder,  and  more 
urgent  as  the  end  draws  near.  The  gospel  is  to  be 
preached  to  all  nations  for  a  witness  ere  the    end 

come. 

"The  proclamation  is  made  by  an  angel, — an  angel 
flying  in  mid-heaven,  the  position  of  the  sun  at 
noon— that  all  may  see  and  hear.  Angels  in  this 
book  are  representatives  of  the  invisible  agencies 
at  work  on  earth.  They  are  living  and  personal 
agencies,  though  they  be  invisible  ;  not  dead,  mute 
laws,  but  superhuman  powers,  setting  in  motion  all 
the  machinery  of  the  world  ;  and  in  the  case  of  the 
present  angel,  the  special  machinery  for  the  pro- 
mulgation of  the  everlasting  gospel.  This  book  of 
the   revelation,    (like  Daniel  and   Zechariah)    takes. 


116  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

US  within  the  vail  that  hides  the  material  from  the 
spiritual,  the  human  from  the  supernatural.  It  gives 
us  the  inner  or  superhuman  side  of  church  history  ; 
the  secret  springs  and  invisible  agencies  which  pro- 
duce events  and  facts — changes  for  good  or  evil ;  it 
gives  us  a  glimpse  of  the  true  laws  of  nature,  or  at 
least  of  those  living  powers  and  processes  by  which 
these  laws  are  regulated  and  made  to  subserve  the 
Creator's  purpose  ;  it  shows  us  that  the  angels  have 
far  more  to  do  with  our  world  and  its  history  than 
we  suppose  ;  it  keeps  before  us,  what  is  so  much 
needed  in  our  day,  the  supernatural  world  of  intel- 
ligence, and  life,  and  strength,  outside  of  ours,  yet 
quite  as  real  and  true — closely  though  invisibly 
connected  with  us,  and  operating  at  all  points,  ani- 
mate and  inanimate,  spiritual  and  physical,  upon 
the  course  of  things  in  this  lower  sphere  of  ours. 
These  'ministering  spirits'  (Heb.  1  :  14)  have  far 
more  to  do  in  connection  with  earth  and  its  history 
than  we  usually  ascribe  to  them. 

"This  angel  is  seen  'preaching'  (he  has  the  'evangel 
to  evangelize'  as  the  words  are  literally),  making 
the  good  news  known.  Not  that  he  actually 
preaches  as  men  do ;  but  in  ways  unknown  to  us 
he  sends  the  gospel  abroad,  both  by  stirring  up 
human  agencies  and  in  other  more  secret  way  com- 
municating it  to  men.  Satan  and  his  angels  work 
for  evil,  in  the  dissemination  of  error,  the  sowing 
of  tares,  the  inventing  of  strong  delusions ;  and 
why  should  it  be  thought  incredible  that  good  an- 
gels might,  in  their  sphere  of  good,  do  the  like 
service  for  truth  and   righteousness?     How   Satan 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  117 

tempted  Christ — how  he  made  Ananias  lie  to  God — 
how  he  sowed  the  tares — how  he  leavens  the  world 
with  error — how  he  beguiles  with  his  subtlety — we 
know  not ;  but  he  does  so.  Just  as  the  law  was 
given  by  angels,  as  the  word  was  spoken  by  angels 
(Heb.  2 :  1),  as  the  angels  testified  'these  things  in 
the  churches'  (Rev.  22:  16),  so  this  angel  in  mid- 
heaven  may  be  understood  as  proclaiming  the  ever- 
lasting gospel.  Angelic  lips  may  not  be  heard ; 
but  human  lips,  set  in  motion  by  agencies  which 
eye  hath  not  seen,  may  proclaim  it.  There  is  here 
a  new  proclamation  of  an  old  thing  ;  a  re-proclama- 
tion on  a  wider  scale  of  the  everlasting  gospel  in 
the  last  days  just  before  the  great  act  of  judgment 
is  consummated."  And  as  in  this  special  proclama- 
tion the  aiigel  is  prominently  and  effectively  active, 
so  throughout  the  entire  divine  administration,  an- 
gels are  the  agents  of  God,  on  earth. 

AN  ANGEL  ANNOUNCES  THE  FALL  OF  ROME. 

"And  there  followed  another  angel  saying,  Baby- 
lon is  fallen,  is  fallen,  that  great  city,  because  she 
made  all  nations  drink  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of 
her  fornicaition."     Rev.  14  :  8. 

Babylon  is  held  to  mean  Rome,  by  most  exposi- 
tors. In  the  rabbinical  writings,  Rome  is  called 
Babylon — Rami  rabbetha,  the  great  Rome.  The 
angel  which  was  seen  flying  in  the  midst  of  heaven 
"having  the  everlasting  gospel  to  preach"  also  pro- 
claimed "with  loud  voice.  Fear  God  and  give  glory 
to  him ;   for  the  hour  of   his   judgment   is   come." 


118  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

Imniediately  following  this  proclamation  came  "an- 
other angel"  announcing  the  fall  of  Rome. 

Rome,  the  city  and  seat  of  fornication,  the  per- 
secuting and  incorrigible  power ;  the  false  church, 
drunk  with  the  blood  of  martyrs,  whose  seat  is  on 
the  seven  hJls  ;  the  head  and  center  of  idolatrous 
worship  ;  the  seducer  and  corrupter  of  all  nations ; 
the  infamous  Papacy,  with  its  cruel  inquisition  and 
hidden  haunts  of  lechery  and  murder  ; — even  crim- 
son-guilty Rome  has  not  escaped  angelic  surveil- 
lance. Her  rise,  her  ascendancy,  her  blasphemy, 
her  decadence,  have  been  keenly  watched  by  God's 
ministering  angels ;  and  when  her  hour  of  doom 
approaches  an  angel  will  announce,  with  a  loud 
voice  of  special  gladness,  her  sudden  and  utter 
overthrow.  That  hour  has  not  yet  come,  but  it 
even  now  hovers  over  Pope  and  Vatican  and  harlot 
church  ;  and  at  a  moment  not  very  distant  the  whole 
world  will  be  startled  by  the  shout  of  a  mighty  an- 
gel :  "Babylon  is  fallen,  is  fallen  ;"  and  that  "great 
Rome"  will  be  a  heap  of  ghastly  ruins  ;  the  jeer  of 
devils,  and  the  contempt  of  the  righteous,  while 
hallelujahs  lofty,  and  vast,  filling  earth  and  respon- 
sive heaven,  will  signalize  the  overthrow,  the  judg- 
ment and  final  and  eternal  annihilation  of  that 
adulterous  and  murderous  institution,  sometimes 
called,  amid  the  merriment  of  demons,  "The  holy 
mother  church."  As  persecuting  Rome  was  origi- 
nated and  has  been  guided  and  fostered  by  fallen 
angels,  it  is  fitting  that  a  loyal  angel  should  be 
allowed  to  proclaim  its  judgment  and  destruction. 
And  a  great  day  will  it  be  in  heaven  and  on  earth 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  1 1  0 

when  Babylon  the  great,  "the  hold  of  every  foul 
beast,"  shall  be  consigned  to  consuming  flames. 
And  the  holy  martyrs,  whose  blood  she  drunk,  in 
her  filthy  and  blasphemous  orgies,  shall  arise  from 
their  crimson  shrouds  and  lift  their  white  hands  in 
exultation  over  her  grim  ruins. 

"And  the  third  angel  followed  them,  saying 
with  a  loud  voice,  if  any  man  worship  the  beast 
and  his  image,  and  receive  his  mark  in  his  fore- 
head, or  in  his  hand,  the  same  shall  drink  of  the 
wine  of  the  wrath  of  God,  which  is  poured  out 
without  mixture  into  the  cup  of  his  indignation  ; 
and  he  shall  be  tormented  with  fire  and  brimstone 
in  the  presence  of  the  holy  angels,  and  in  the  pres- 
ence of  the  Lamb." 

Fitting  close  of  abominations  so  flagrant,  of 
atrocities  so  cruel,  of  hypocrisies  so  transparent, 
of  blasphemies  so  appalling,  of  corruptions  so  uni- 
versal, of  demonism  so  boastful,  of  falsehood  so 
brazen,  of  all  wickedness  so  hideous. 

ANGELS  ALL  THROUGH  THE  BOOK. 

The  wonderful  succession  of  views  which  the 
angel  revealed  to  John  covers  the  entire  period  of 
earthly  history  from  that  time  to  the  end  of  human 
scenes  ;  including  even  the  opening  events  of  the 
world  to  come.  And  as  the  scenes  thicken  and 
become  imposing,  the  number  and  activity  of  the 
commissioned  angels  increase.  More  and  more 
they  throng  the  fields  of  prophecy,  and  the  events 
of  history.  As  the  grand  culmination  of  earthly 
affairs  becomes  imminent  multitudes  of  these  heav- 


120  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

enly  beings  are  seen,  directing  alike  the  career  of 
the  saints,  and  the  administration  of  the  judgments 
of  God  on  the  wicked.  They  are  specially  entrusted 
with  the  management  of  the  final  scenes  ;  and  they 
are  everywhere  present  amidst  the  overthrow  of 
principalities  and  powers,  and  the  dissolution  of  hu- 
man society,  preparatory  to  the  new  order  of  things. 
Seven  angels,  true  and  strong,  are  sent  forth  to 
execute  the  seven  last  plagues,  each  being  supplied 
with  a  golden  vial,  filled  with  the  "wrath  of  God." 
One  angel  pours  out  his  vial  on  the  earth ;  another 
angel  pours  his  vial  on  the  sea ;  another  opens 
his  vial  on  the  rivers  and  fountains  ;  another  broke 
his  vial  on  the  sun,  and  men  were  scorched  with 
great  heat ;  and  still  another  angel  discharged  his 
vial  on  the  "seat  of  the  beast ;"  and  "his  kingdom 
was  full  of  darkness ;"  and  "they  gnawed  their 
tongues  for  pain ;"  then  another  angel  opened  his 
vial  on  the  "great  river  Euphrates  ;  and  the  waters 
thereof  were  dried  up ;"  and  the  last  of  the  seven 
poured  his  vial  into  the  air ;  and  there  came  a  great 
voice  out  of  the  temple  of  heaven,  from  the  throne, 
saying,  "It  is  done."  And  unearthly  voices  were 
heard  ;  and  unwonted  thunders  shook  land  and  sea  ; 
and  fearful  lightnings  flashed  along  the  trembling 
skies,  omens  of  a  swiftly  following  earthquake, 
shock  on  shock,  such  as  earth  had  never  felt 
before ;  and  the  cities  of  the  nations  fell ;  and 
great  Babylon — blasphemous  Rome — came  in  re- 
membrance before  God,  to  give  unto  her  the  "cup 
of  wine  of  the  fierceness  of  his  wrath."  "And  a 
mighty  angel  took  up  a  stone  like  a  great  millstone, 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  121 

and  cast  it  into  the  sea,  saying,  "Thus  with  vio- 
lence shall  the  great  city  Babylon  be  thrown  down, 
and  shall  be  found  no  more  at  all." 

'■''Rome  shall  perish.     Write  that  word 
In  the  blood  that  she  hath  split, 
Perish  hopeless  and  abhorred, 
Deep  in  ruin  as  in  guilt." 

Then  followed  an  enchanting  scene  of  outbursting 
gladness  and  irrepressible  joy,  among  the  living 
creatures  above,  and  all  the  host  of  the  redeemed. 
"Let  us  be  glad  and  rejoice,  and  give  honor  to  him  ; 
for  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb  is  come,  and  his  wife 
hath  made  herself  ready."  Enraptured  with  delight, 
and  thrilled  with  gratitude,  St.  John  fell  at  the 
angel's  feet  to  worship  him ;  but  this  well-meant 
act  was  instantly  repudiated  by  the  angel.  "See 
thou  do  it  not,"  he  said,  "I  am  thy  fellow-ser- 
vant,"— employed  in  the  same  work  as  thyself — 
"worship  God  ;"  thus  showing  that  these  heavenly 
messengers,  endowed  as  they  are  with  vast  intel- 
lectual and  physical  power,  and  honored  as  the 
plenipotentiaries  of  the  court  of  heaven,  are  very 
jealous  of  the  majesty  and  glory  of  Jehovah,  before 
whose  presence  they  wait  to  execute  the  divine  be- 
hest, in  our  world.  They,  like  John,  and  all  saints, 
are  the  servants  of  Christ,  entitled  no  more  to  rev- 
erence than  the  weakest  Christian  who  is  wholly 
devoted  to  his  Lord.  Angel  worship,  and  image 
worship,  and  all  worship  of  any  but  God,  is  idola- 
try. John  did  not  intend  an  act  of  worship,  but 
only  of  reverence  ;  and  even  that  the  holy  angel 
would  not  receive. 


122  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

After  this  an  angel  came  down  from  heaven  hold- 
ing the  key  of  the  bottomless  pit,  and  a  great  chain 
in  his  hand.  And  he  laid  hold  of  the  devil  and 
bound  him  for  a  thousand  years.  The  "A^ey"  and 
the  ''^chain''  show  this  angel  to  be  an  executor 
of  the  divine  justice,  commissioned  to  take  Satan 
into  custody,  and  shut  him  up.  If  the  angels  may 
not  exercise  judicial  authority,  they  do  use  execu- 
tive force.  If  they  do  not  judge,  they  do  punish, 
and  sometimes  destroy  demons  and  bad  men. 

And  whatever  may  be,  in  detail,  the  meaning 
of  all  these  symbolic  representations  with  which, 
throughout  the  Revelation,  the  angels  are  so  con- 
stantly and  intimately  connected,  the  whole  cer- 
tainly can  prove  nothing  less  than  that  the  pure 
and  loyal  seraphs  are  employed  by  the  Father  and 
the  Son  in  all  departments  of  the  divine  administra- 
tit)n  ;  and  that  social,  ecclesiastical,  commercial  and 
national  affairs  are  under  their  direct  cognizance, 
and  subject  to  their  control  according  to  the  will  of 
him  who  sends  them  forth. 

AN  ANGEL    UNVEILS    THE    NEW   JERUSALEM. 

Milton  called  the  Apocalypse  "The  majestic  im- 
age of  a  high  and  stately  tragedy,  shutting  np  and 
intermingling  her  solemn  scenes  and  acts  with  a 
sevenfold  chorus  of  hallelujahs  and  harping  sym- 
phonies." Inspiration  calls  it,  "The  Revelation  of 
Jesus  Christ,  which  God  gave  unto  him  to  show  his 
servants  the  things  which  must  shortly  come  to 
pass ;  and  he  sent  and  signified  them  by  his  a7igel 
to  his  servant  John." 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  123 

The  vast  and  imposing  succession  of  events  which 
the  angel  was  commissioned  to  reveal  to  St.  John, 
was  nearing  its  completion.  He  had  seen  at  the  be- 
ginning one  like  unto  the  Son  of  man, — an  imper- 
sonation of  the  glorious  Christ,  as  he  will  appear 
in  regal  splendor  when  he  shall  assume  the  undis- 
puted throne  of  God  set  in  heaven.  He  had  looked, 
enraptured,  on  the  sea  of  glass  mingled  with  fire. 
With  great  joy  he  witnessed  the  breaking  of  the 
seals  of  the  mystic  book  by  the  Lion  of  the  tribe 
of  Judah,  and  heard  the  number  of  them  who  were 
sealed  by  the  angel,  as  the  servants  of  the  living 
God.  Awe-stricken  he  had  listened  to  the  sounding 
of  the  seven  trumpets,  and  witnessed  the  terrific 
effect  upon  man  and  nature.  He  had  heard  the 
angel,  standing  on  the  sea  and  on  the  earth  swear  by 
him  that  liveth  for  ever  and  ever  that  time  should  be 
no  longer.  He  had  heard  the  announcement  of  the 
fall  of  Babylon,  and  great  rejoicing  in  heaven  and 
earth  at  her  downfall.  The  call  to  the  marriaore 
supper  of  the  Lamb  had  been  proclaimed  in  his 
hearing.  He  had  seen  the  dead,  small  and  great, 
stand  before  God,  and  had  witnessed  the  awful 
judgment  scene.  Before  his  eyes,  the  heavens,  ignit- 
ing, had  dissolved  and  passed  away  ;  and  the  earth, 
with  all  things  therein,  had  become  a  molten  mass 
of  ruins  ;  and  out  of  the  smoking  chaos  he  had  seen 
new  heavens  and  new  earth  arise,  clad  with  the 
beauty  of  the  primal  Eden.  He  had  heard  a  voice 
out  of  heaven  saying,  "Behold,  the  tabernacle  of 
God  is  with  men,  and  he  will  dwell  with  them,  and 
they  shall  be  his  people  ;   and  there   shall   be   no 


124  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

more  death  neither  sorrow  nor  crying  ;  neither  shall 
there  be  any  more  pain ;  for  the  former  things  are 
passed  away." 

And  now  the  holy  angel  once  more  lifts  the  veil 
and  shows  the  banished  apostle  the  grandest,  most 
resplendent,  most  inspiring  view  of  the  entire  series. 
It  is  "one  of  the  seven  angels"  that  now  approaches 
John  and  talks  with  him,  inviting  him  to  come  and 
see  the  wonderful  glory.  "And  he  carried  me  away 
in  the  Spirit  to  a  great  and  high  mountain,  and 
showed  me  that  great  city,  the  holy  Jerusalem,  de- 
scending out  of  heaven  from  God,  having  the  glory 
of  God."     Rev.  21 :  10. 

The  architectural  beauty  of  the  city,  and  its  or- 
namental splendor  excels  all  human  conception. 
How  almost  infinite  must  be  the  intelligence  and 
skill  of  the  angel  who  could  cause  to  stand,  in  its 
heavenly  grandeur,  before  the  apostle's  vision,  the 
New  Jerusalem — glorious  metropolis  of  Christ's  uni- 
versal kingdom — as  it  will  be  in  the  time  when  the 
earth  is  made  new.  Perhaps  this  same  angel  is  the 
honored  architect  of  the  "/ioZy  city''  which  hath 
foundations,  "whose  builder  and  maker  is  God;" 
for  it  is  said  of  him,  "And  he  that  talked  with  me 
had  a  golden  reed  to  measure  the  city,  and  the 
gates  thereof,  and  the  walls  thereof."  And  he — 
the  angel — measured  the  city,  the  walls  and  the 
foundations  and  the  gates,  and  gave  the  apostle  the 
length  and  breadth  and  height.  We  may  believe 
that  under  this  chief  seraph's  superintendence  an- 
gelic hands  reared  the  wonderful  superstructure, 
and  polished  and  set  the  "All  manner  of  precious 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  125 

stones"  •which  garnished  the  foundations  and  walls ; 
and  lifted  to  their  places  the  twelve  gates  of  pearl. 

That  magnificent  city  of  God  had  twelve  gates, 
each  gate  a  solid  pearl ;  and  at  each  grand  pearl- 
arched  entrance  stood  a?i  angel;  this  showing  that 
the  holy  sons  of  heaven  do  not  cease  their  royal 
ministry  to  the  redeemed  even  when  they  are  safely 
sheltered  under  the  pearly  dome  of  the  New  Jeru- 
salem. It  is  not  too  much  to  believe  that  holy 
angels,  having  been  God's  chosen  agents  in  the 
redemption  of  the  "innumerable  company,"  whom 
they  served,  protected,  and  delivered  on  earth,  will 
maintain  intimate  relations  with  the  saved  hosts 
forever. 

Not  only  did  this  particular  angel — one  of  the 
seven — unveil  to  John's  enraptured  sight  the  re- 
splendent metropolis  of  the  new  world  in  its  archi- 
tectural and  ornamental  glory,  but  he  called  the 
apostle's  special  notice  to  the  broad  and  gracefully 
flowing  river  which  crowned  the  beauty  of  the  one 
city  of  the  restored  universe  ;  not  forgetting  to  add 
to  the  charming  picture  the  "tree  of  life,"  standing 
in  the  midst  of  the  crystal  waters,  and  spreading  its 
branches  to  either  shore,  whose  perennial  foliage 
lends  healing  balm  to  the  ransomed  nations. 

We  may  believe  that  the  angel  was  as  delighted 
in  revealing  to  John  these  coming  splendors  and 
ravishing  beauties  as  was  John  in  beholding  them. 
What  an  exquisite  artist  that  angel  must  have  been  ! 
And  how  familiar  with  the  mind  of  Jehovah,  in 
Christ  Jesus,  concerning  the  world  to  come  !  And 
need  we  wonder?     He  was  present  when  the  worlds 


126  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

were  made  ;  and  led,  perhaps,  the  seraphic  choir 
which  voiced  high  anthems  of  joy,  in  chorus  with 
the  morning  stars,  over  the  magnificence  of  the  fin- 
ished creation. 

And  now  come  the  angel's  last  words  to  the  ban- 
ished but  honored  disciple.  He  had  swiftly  carried 
him  through  the  vast  and  changing  scenes  of  all 
the  mortal  centuries.  He  had  unmasked  to  his 
keen  vision  the  final  events  of  earthly  history. 
He  had  opened  to  his  amazed  view  the  dawnings  of 
the  endless  ages.  He  had  painted,  in  its  real  col- 
ors, the  flashing  resplendence  of  the  eternal  city. 
He  had  caused  his  charmed  ears  to  hear  the  new 
song  of  the  redeemed,  as  they  throng  the  hills  of 
God.  And  noW  he  closes  his  lofty  revelations  with 
a  most  solemn  assurance,  and  a  divinely  ordered  in- 
junction. 

"And  he — the  same  angel — said  to  me,  These 
sayings  are  faithful  and  true  ;  the  Lord,  the  God  of 
the  spirits  of  the  prophets,  hath  sent  his  angel  to 
shew  his  servants,  the  things  which  must  be  done 
shortly     come  to  pass."     Rev.  22  :  6.    R.  V. 

Who  shall  question  that  this  holy  messenger  from 
Christ  spake  audibly  to  John  in  Patmos?  Is  not 
the  declaration  simple  and  positive?  "And  he  said 
to  me."  To  doubt  that  so  the  angel  did  speak  to 
the  servant  of  Christ  is  to  equally  doubt  that  the 
slumber  of  the  shepherds  was  broken  by  real  voices 
in  midnight  melody  at  the  Saviour's  birth ;  or  that 
Peter,  in  his  dark  prison,  was  startled  from  a  deep 
sleep  by  the  audible  command  :  "Gird  thyself,  and 
bind  on  thy  sandals."     We  see  no  more  reason  to 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  127 

receive  John's  emphatic  assertion:  "And  it  was  I 
John  -who  heard  and  saw  these  things,"  with  sus- 
picion, than  to  question  any  explicit  statement  of 
the  inspired  Volume.  That  an  angel  was  in  Pat- 
mos  as  truly  and  literally  as  was  the  apostle  ;  and 
that  they  stood  face  to  face  while  the  angel  really 
spake  in  articulate  words,  there  is  no  reason  to 
dispute. 

Having  formally  and  with  solemn  emphasis  as- 
sured St.  John  that  all  he  had  revealed  to  him  was 
strictly  true  and  would  surely  come  to  pass  ;  and 
that  the  long  line  of  events  described  would  at  once 
begin  to  occur,  the  apostle,  overwhelmed  by  solemn 
wonder  and  admiration  prostrated  himself  at  the 
angeVs  feet  in  adoring  gladness.  But  even  a  seem- 
ing act  of  worship  the  holy  angel  again  rebuked, 
saying,  "See  thou  do  it  not;  I  am  thy  fellow  ser- 
vant, and  of  thy  brethren  the  prophets,  and  of  them 
who  keep  the  sayings  of  this  book,  worship  God." 
Rev.  22  :  10.  And  having  remanded  John  to  his 
feet,  he  enjoined  him  not  to  conceal  the  revelations 
he  had  received,  but  to  make  them  known  to  the 
churches  for  whose  information  and  comfort, 
through  all  time,  their  unfolding  fulfillment  was  in- 
tended. "And  he  said  to  me,  Seal  not  the  sayings 
of  the  prophecy  of  this  book  ;  the  time  is  nigh." 

And  these  were  the  last  recorded  words  of  that 
holy  angel  of  God,  who  was  specially  commissioned 
by  the  Saviour  to  reveal  to  his  servant  John  the 
things  which  Father  had  revealed  to  him.  And 
that  such  an  angel  did  make  the  recorded  unveiling 
to  God's  servant,  in  his  exile  on  the  isle  called  Pat- 


128  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

mos,  is  proved  by  its  fulfillment  already,  in  large 
part,  and  its  still  occurring  accomplishment  before 
the  eyes  of  all  men. 

And  this  angelic  revealment  was  made  under  the 
new  covenant,  in  the  Christian  dispensation  ;  show- 
ing impressively  that  angelic  ministries  are  among 
God's  chosen  agencies  in  the  economy  of  grace. 

"Not  wholly  lost,  O  Father ! 

Is  this  evil  world  of  ours ; 
Upward,  through  its  blood  and  ashes 

Spring  afresh  its  Eden  flowers  ; 
From  its  smoking  fields  of  battle 

Love  and  pity  send  their  prayer, 
And  still  thy  white- winged  angels 

Hover  dimly  in  our  air." 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

The  Work  of  the  flngels— The  Work 
of  the  Spirit. 


God  governs  our  world  by  no  single  force.  Di- 
vine Sovereignty  works  not  by  simple  fiat,  but 
through  chosen  and  directed  agencies,  adapted  to 
the  various  realms  of  thought  and  motion,  of  mind 
and  matter.  The  governing  influence  of  the  Holy 
Oracles  is  that  of  revelation,  precept,  law.  These 
alone  are  authority  in  questions  of  moral  conduct, 
and  spiritual  truth. 

The  Holy  Spirit,  having  direct  access  to  mind,  is 
the  revealer  ;  the  inspirer  ;  the  dictator  of  prophecy  ; 
the  teacher  of  truth.  The  Spirit's  realm  of  power  is 
heart  and  mind — the  mental  and  spiritual  suscepti- 
bilities and  faculties.  Its  special  operations  are 
with  thought,  will,  affections,  conscience.  It  il- 
lumes, convinces,  convicts,  warns,  regenerates, 
comforts,  sanctifies,  guides.  It  is  the  executive 
force  of  the  divine  government ;  especially  in  the 
realm  of  intellect  and  moral  sensibility.  It  is  an 
uncreated  power,  and  can  operate  in  the  physical 
as  well  as  in  the  spiritual  domain  ;  but  its  peculiar 


130  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

province,  in  the  work  of  redemption,  is  over  the 
spiritual  and  intellectual  nature  of  men. 

But  the  angels^  being  created  and  personal  beings, 
although  far  excelling  man  in  rank  of  mind,  cannot 
discern  the  thoughts  and  intents  of  the  heart,  at 
least  not  with  unerring  accuracy.  But  they  excel  in 
strength.  The  Scriptures  call  them  '•'•mighty  an- 
gels." Vast  power  over  material  forces  is  ascribed 
to  them  by  divine  inspiration.  In  the  plan  of  re- 
demption their  work  is,  mostly,  with  demons,  the 
bodies  and  lives  of  men,  and  the  elements  of  na- 
ture. While  the  Spirit  pervades  the  universe  of 
thought  and  emotion,  the  angels  sweep  the  empires 
of  personal,  social  and  national  forces. 

An  example  in  point  is  the  defence  of  Jerusalem 
by  the  hand  of  a  single  angel.  "And  it  came  to 
pass  that  night,  that  the  angel  of  the  Lord  went 
out,  and  smote  in  the  camp  of  the  Assyrians  a  hun- 
dred fourscore  and  five  thousand  ;  and  when  they 
arose  early  on  the  morning,  behold  they  were  all 
dead  corpses."  2  Kings  19 :  35.  If  one  angel 
could  slay  an  army  of  men  what  could  not  twelve 
legions  do? 

Another  striking  instance  of  angelic  power  over 
men  is  their  protection  of  Lot  and  his  household 
against  the  violence  of  the  Sodomites.  "And  the 
angels  put  forth  their  hands  and  pulled  Lot  into  the 
house  with  them,  and  shut  to  the  door.  And  X^ey 
smote  the  men  that  were  at  the  door  with  blindness, 
both  small  and  great."     Gen.  19  :   12. 

From  these,  and  many  more  similar  cases  re- 
corded in  the  Scriptures,  it  is  plain  that  the  angels 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION. 


131 


*'excel  in  strength"  ;  and  that  one  can  chase  a  thou- 
sand, and  two  put  ten  thousand  to  flight. 

Such  unlimited  mastery  of  men,  even  to  striking 
dead  thousands  in  an  hour  ;  and  instantly   smiting 
whom  they  will  with  blindness  must  include  control 
of  the  diseases  which  afflict  us.     If  an  angel  could 
suffuse    Bethesda's    waters    with    healing    efficacy, 
thev  can  by  other  means  cure  diseases.     If  men,  by 
prayer  and  the  laying  on  of  hands  are  sometimes 
the' instruments  of  healing  power,  why  should  we 
doubt  that  the  stronger,  and  wiser  holy  angels  can, 
under  the  Lord's   direction,  cure   the    sick.     Does 
not  the  inspired  statement :  "The  angel  of  the  Lord 
encampeth  round  about   them   that   fear  him,  and 
delivereth  them,"  include  deliverance  from  all  kinds 
of  peril?     The  angel  cf  the  Lord  smote  Herod  so 
that  he  was  eaten  of  worms  and  gave  up  the  ghost. 
Acts.  12  :  23.     Would  it  be  harder  for  an  angel  to 
check  disease?     And  if  evil  angels  can  afflict  mor- 
tals with  loathsome  maladies,  as  in  the  case  of  Job? 
and  if  demons  can  take  control  of  human  bodies, 
casting  some  "into  the   fire,"  and  others   into  the 
water,  and  making  others  wild  maniacs  ;  cannot  the 
holy  angels  control  such  maladies  and  painful  in- 
fliction to,  at  least,  an  equal  extent? 

In  a  sermon  upon  good  and  evil  angels  John 
Wesley  says :  "There  is  little  reason  to  doubt,  but 
jiiany  diseases  likewise,  both  of  acute  and  chronical 
kind  are  either  occasioned  or  increased,  by  diaboli- 
cal agencies ;  particularly  those  that  begin  in  an 
instant,  without  any  discernible  cause,  as  well  as 
those  that  continue,  and  perhaps  greatly  increase, 


132  FOOT-PRnrrs  of  angels 

in  spite  of  all  the  power  of  medicine.  Many  years 
ago  I  was  asking  an  experienced  physician,  who 
was  particularly  eminent  for  curing  lunacy,  if  he 
had  seen  reason  to  believe  that  some  lunatics  are 
really  demoniacs?  He  answered  that  'he  had  been 
often  inclined  to  think,  that  most  lunatics  were 
demoniacs.*  TVho  can  tell  how  many  of  those  dis- 
eases which  we  impute  to  natural  causes  may  be 
really  preternatural?  What  disorder  is  there  in  the 
human  frame  which  an  evil  angel  may  not  inflict? 
Can  he  not  smite  us  as  he  did  Job,  and  that  in  a 
moment  with  boils  from  the  crown  of  our  heads  to 
the  soles  of  our  feet?  Can  he  not,  with  equal  ease, 
cause  any  other  external  or  internal  malady  ?  Could 
not  he  in  a  moment,  by  di\ine  permission,  cast  the 
stronsjest  man  down  to  the  ground,  and  make  him 
*wallow  foaming,'  with  all  the  symptoms  either  of 
epilepsy,  or  apoplexy?  In  like  manner  it  is  easy 
for  him  to  smite  any  one  man,  or  every  one  in  a 
city  or  nation,  with  a  malignant  fever,  or  with  the 
plague  itself,  so  that  vain  would  be  the  help  of 
man. 

'*  'I  believe,'  said  that  excellent  man,  the  Marquis 
de  Renty,  when  the  bench  on  which  he  sat  snapped 
in  sunder  without  any  visible  cause,  'that  Satan 
had  a  hand  in  it  ?'  I  know  not  whether  he  may  not 
have  had  a  hand  in  the  accountable  horror  with 
which  many  have  been  seized  in  the  dead  of  night, 
even  to  such  a  degree  that  all  their  bones  have 
shook.  Perhaps  he  has  a  hand  also  in  those  terri- 
fying dreams  which  many  have,  even  while  they 
are  in  perfect  health." 


IN  FIKLDS  OF  RKVKLATION.  133 

And  of  the  power  of  the  good  angels  over  our 
daily  lives  Mr.  Wesley  held  views  equally  interest- 
ing and  instructive.  He  says :  '*May  they  not 
minister  also  to  us,  with  respect  to  our  bodies,  in 
a  thousand  ways  which  we  do  not  now  understand. 
They  may  prevent  our  falling  into  many  dangers 
which  we  are  not  sensible  of  ;  and  may  deliver  us 
out  of  many  others,  though  we  know  not  whence 
our  deliverance  comes.  How  many  times  have  we 
been  strangely  and  unaccountably  preserved,  in 
sudden  and  dangerous  falls !  And  it  is  well  if  we 
did  not  impute  that  deliverance  to  chance,  or  to 
our  own  wisdom  or  strength.  Not  so  :  it  was  God 
who  gave  his  angels  charge  over  us,  and  in  their 
hands  they  bore  us  up.  Indeed,  men  of  the  world 
will  always  impute  such  deliverances  to  accident  or 
second  causes.  To  these,  possibly,  some  of  them 
might  have  imputed  Daniel's  deliverance  from  the 
lion's  den.  But  Daniel  himself  ascribed  it  to  the 
true  cause  :  'My  God  hath  sent  his  angels  and  shut 
the  mouths  of  the  lions.' 

"When  a  violent  disease,  supposed  incurable,  is 
suddenly  and  totally  removed  it  is  by  no  means  im- 
probable that  it  was  effected  by  the  ministry  of  an 
angel.  And  perhaps  it  is  by  the  same  cause  that  a 
remedy  is  unaccountably  suggested,  either  by  the 
sick  person  or  some  one  attendant  upon  him,  by 
which  he  is  entirely  cured. 

''And  what  are  usually  called  divine  dreams  may 
be  ascribed  to  angels.  We  have  a  remarkable  in- 
stance of  this  kind,  related  by  one  who  will  hardly 
be  thought  an  enthusiast ;  I  mean  Marcus  Antoni- 


134  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

BUS.  Ill  his  'meditations'  he  heartily  thanks  God 
for  revealing  to  him,  when  he  was  at  Cajeta,  in  a 
dream,  what  totally  cured  the  bloody  flux,  which 
none  of  his  physicians  were  able  to  heal.  And 
why  may  we  not  suppose  that  God  gave  him  this 
notice  by  the  ministry  of  an  angel  ? 

"And  how  often  does  God  deliver  us  from  evil 
men  by  the  ministry  of  his  angels?  Overturning 
whatever  their  rage  or  malice  had  plotted  against 
us.  The  angels  are  about  their  bed  and  about  their 
path,  and  privy  to  all  their  dark  designs  ;  and  many 
of  them,  undoubtedly,  they  brought  to  nought,  by 
means  that  we  think  not  of.  Sometimes  they  blast 
their  favorite  schemes  in  the  beginning  ;  sometimes 
on  the  eve  of  execution.  And  this  they  can  do  by 
a  thousand  means  that  we  are  not  aware  of.  They 
can  check  them  in  their  mid-career  by  bereaving 
them  of  courage  or  strength  ;  by  striking  faintness 
through  their  loins,  turning  their  wisdom  into  fool- 
ishness. Sometimes  they  bring  to  light  the  hidden 
things  of  darkness  and  show  us  the  traps  that  are 
laid  for  our  feet.  In  these  and  many  other  ways 
hew  the  snares  of  the  ungodly  in  pieces. 

"We  may  make  one  general  observation  ;  whatever 
assistance  God  gives  to  men  by  men,  the  same,  and 
in  a  higher  degree,  he  gives  by  angels.  They  shut 
the  mouths  of  lions — human  lions — so  that  they 
have  no  power  to  hurt  us.  Sometimes  they  join 
our  human  friends,  though  neither  they  nor  we  are 
sensible  of  it,  giving  them  courage,  wisdom  and 
strength,  without  which  all  their  efforts  would  be 
unsuccessful.     Thus  do  they  secretly  minister  to  the 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  135 

heirs  of  salvation,  while  we  hear  only  the  voices  of 
men,  and  see  only  human  forms  around  us. 

''It  is  for  this  reason  that  God  is  pleased  to  give 
his  angels  charge  over  us,  namely,  that  he  may 
endear  us  and  them  to  each  other ;  that  by  the  in- 
crease of  our  love  and  gratitude  to  them  we  may 
find  an  increase  of  happiness  when  we  meet  in  our 
Father's  kingdom.  Meantime,  while  we  may  not 
worship  angels,  we  may  'esteem  them  very  highly 
for  their  work's  sake.'  " 

God  has  always  wrought  by  such  instrumentali- 
ties as  he  pleases,  and  always  will ;  but  still  it  is 
God  himself  who  doeth  the  work.  Whatever  help 
we  have  from  angels  or  men  is  as  really  the  help  of 
God  as  though  he  were  to  put  forth  his  almighty 
arm  and  work  without  any  means  at  all.  But  in 
all  ages  he  has  used  the  ministry  both  of  angels 
and  men.  And  we  may  safely  imitate  the  good 
angels  in  all  holiness  ;  and,  as  our  Lord  himself 
prayed,  seek  to  do  his  will  on  earth  as  angels  do  it 
in  heaven. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 
Angelie  Manifestations  in  l^cecnt  Times. 


<'And  may  ye  not  unseen  around  us  hover, 

With  gentle  promptings  and  sweet  influence  yet, 
Though  the  fresh  glory  of  those  days  be  over, 

When  'midst  the  palm  trees  man  your  footsteps  met  ? 

"Are  ye  not  near  when  sorrow  unrepining, 

Yields  up  life's  treasures  unto  him  who  gave? 

When  martyrs,  all  things  for  his  sake  resigning, 

Lead  on  the  march  of  death,  serenely  brave?" 

But  as  to  angelic  ministries  in  later  Christian 
times  many  are  incredulous.  Unable  to  offer  any 
reason  why  these  holy  messengers  of  God,  whose 
presence  and  offices  were  so  abundant  in  ancient 
and  early  Christian  times,  should  have  ceased  to 
serve  the  good  of  earth,  and  withdrawn  from  our 
world,  not  a  few  are  unwilling  to  allow  that  they 
are  among  us  still,  and  bless  and  guide  us  as  of 
yore. 

But  the  continuation  of  their  ministries,  even  to 
our  own  times,  is  strongly  inferable  from  the  thrill- 
ing fact  that  the  present  dispensation  opened  with 
a  profusion  of  seraphic  interposition  which  contin- 
ued without  abatement  through  the  apostolic  era, 
and  is  recorded  with  prominent  solemnity  till  the 
last  page  of  the  Inspired  Record   is   closed.     All 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  137 

through  the  gospels,  from  beginning  to  ending  of 
the  Acts,  in  each  and  all  of  the  Epistles,  and  to 
the  final  sentence  of  the  Apocalypse,  the  wonderful 
services  of  the  holy  angels,  in  the  work  of  redemp- 
tion, are  noted  in  the  most  explicit  and  imposing 
way.  And  no  intimation  is  anywhere  given  that 
their  work  was  to  be  transient.  But  of  all  that  is 
said  of  them  the  implication  is  very  decisive  and 
convincing  that  they  are  prominent  agents  in  all 
this  age  of  grace. 

Take  for  example  :  "Are  they  not  all  ministering 
spirits,  sent  for  to  do  service  for  the  sake  of  them 
that  shall  inherit  salvation?"     Heb.  1:  14.     R.  V. 

These  pregnant  words  occur  in  Paul's  letter  to 
the  Hebrews,  which  was  written  some  sixty  years 
after  Christ's  ascension.  Can  any  think  that  this 
broad  and  unlimited  statement  of  the  apostle  was 
true  only  of  the  Hebrews  of  that  time  ?  Must  not 
the  expression  :  ^'TJiem  that  shall  inherit  salvation^" 
include  all,  of  every  time  and  place,  who  shall  be 
heirs  of  salvation  ?  Surely  there  is  as  good  reason 
to  limit  this  entire  Epistle  to  the  apostolic  period  as 
to  thus  limit  this  particular  statement.  The  church 
in  these  "ends  of  the  world" — "these  perilous  times" 
— needs  the  aid  of  angels  as  keenly  as  in  the  times 
when  St.  Paul  comforted  his  believing  kinsmen  with 
the  assurance  that  they,  and  all  saints,  are  the  sub- 
jects of  angelic  guardianship.  There  is  no  scrip- 
tural reason,  or  even  ground  of  inference,  for  the 
misgiving  of  Christian  confidence  in  the  doctrine  of 
continuous  angelic  ministrations,  running  to  the 
close  of  time. 


138  FOOT-PKINTS  OF  ANGELS 

No,  they  have  not  left  us,  in  these  dark  and  evil 
days,  the  sport  and  easy  spoil  of  devils.  No  less 
do  they  guard  our  steps  through  these  dim  and 
treacherous  times,  than  when  they  took  voyage  with 
Paul,  and  clipped  the  wild  wings  of  the  midnight 
storm,  bringing  all  the  company  safe  to  land.  They, 
who  did  not  disdain  to  visit  Peter  in  his  dark,  loath- 
some prison  cell,  working  a  whole  cluster  of  mira- 
cles for  his  deliverance,  do  not  look  on  the  perplex- 
ities, and  pains,  and  exposures  of  the  friends  of 
Christ,  in  these  later  but  not  less  dangerous  hours, 
with  cold  unconcern.  Tenderly  they  wait  and  watch, 
and  spread  their  unseen  shields  over  the  weakest 
follower  of  the  Lamb  ;  nor  will  their  sleepless  vigi- 
lance fail,  day  nor  night,  till  the  latest  born  of  all 
who  "shall  inherit  salvation"  is  safely  escorted  to 
the  hills  of  God  beyond  the  reach  of  demon,  death 
and  tears. 

BUT   WHY   ARE   THEY   NOT    SEEN   OF   MEN   NOW? 

"Yet  sweet  is  the  rapture  of  music 

Far  over  the  homes  of  men, 
Who  are  all  too  busy  to  listen, 

Or  too  heavy  with  sleep  to  ken ; 
For  only  the  ears  can  hear  it 

That  have  waited  late  and  long 
To  catch  through  the  clamor  and  discord, 

The  thrill  of  the  angel's  song. 

And  only  the  eyes  can  see  them, 

In  their  bending  beauty  fair. 
That  have  long  been  used  to  gazing 

Through  the  calms  of  the  upper  air,— 
The  eyes  perhaps  of  a  watcher 

Near  to  the  rest  above, 
Or  the  innocent  eyes  of  children 

Dear  to  the  Lord  of  love." 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  139 

In  the  olden  times  they  were  not  always  seen. 
Sometimes  they  were  seen  and  not  heard  ;  some- 
times they  were  heard  and  not  seen.  The  history  of 
these  holy  ones,  running  through  all  the  Scriptures, 
makes  it  plain  that  they  have  power  to  execute 
their  ministries  on  earth  visibly  or  invisibly,  at  will. 
"VVho  has  not  been  startled  by  sudden  prescience  of 
events  and  dangers,  entirely  remote  from  their 
thoughts,  as  if  some  one  had  actually  made  an 
announcement  to  them?— so  impressively,  some- 
times, that  we  look  about  us,  half  expecting  to  see 
some  human  form.  These  experiences  are  so  com- 
mon that  they  come  to  be  recognized,  in  poetry  and 
personal  memoirs. 

We  remember  the  case  of  a  distinguished  minis- 
ter of  the  gospel  who  was  at  the  station,  waiting  to 
take  the  train  for  a  neighboring  city.  His  mind 
was  entirely  tranquil ;  no  sense  or  thought  of  dan- 
ger disturbed  him  :  the  train  approached,  he  stepped 
forward  to  board  it,  when  he  became  suddenly  fas- 
tened to  the  spot,  feeling  as  if  held  by  some  irre- 
sistible force.  Unable  to  stir  he  saw  the  train 
depart.  Ten  minutes  later,  two  miles  from  where 
he  stood,  occurred  the  terrible  Revere  disaster,  in 
which  nearly  a  score  of  persons  were  instantly 
killed,  and  many  others  painfully  injured.  This 
clergyman  is  still  living — the  pastor  of  a  church 
not  far  from  where  we  are  writing.  He  saw  no 
form,  heard  no  voice,  but  he  was  solemnly  con- 
scious of  some  mighty  presence  controlling  his  ac- 
tion.    Why  should  we  doubt   it  was  a  holy  angel 


140  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

of  God  sent  to  interpose  between  a  useful  life  and 
instant  destruction  ! 

Moreover,  there  is  much  reason  to  believe  that 
angels  personally  appear  to  us,  now  and  then,  in 
present  times.  How  else  shall  we  account  for  the 
many  authenticated  instances  in  which  persons  fully 
awake,  in  mid-day,  and  under  no  abnormal  excite- 
ment, have  seen  the  forms  of  friends  or  acquain- 
tances, or  of  unknown  persons,  when  it  was  certain 
that  no  human  being  was  near?  The  best  and  most 
intelligent  people  have  recorded  such  appearances, 
often  followed  by  unlooked-for  providences.  We 
believe  it  to  be  neither  unscientific  nor  superstitious 
to  regard  such  phenomena  as  explanable  only  by 
admitting  that  the  angels  of  God  do  still  show 
themselves  to  men. 

MORE  STRIKING  INSTANCES  OF  ANGELIC   INTERPOSITION. 

"There  are,  who  like  the  Seer  of  old, 
Can  see  the  helpers  God  has  sent, 
And  how  life's  rugged  mountain  side 
Is  white  with  many  'an  angel  tent.'" 

There  is  no  doubt  that  most  cases  of  sudden  and 
inexplicable  deliverances  of  good  people  from  dis- 
eases and  accidents  are  the  result  of  angelic  inter- 
vention. Of  the  hundreds  of  cases  within  the  lim- 
its of  certain  aathentification  we  select  a  few. 

"In  the  fall  of  1858,  while  visiting  Indiana,  I 
was  at  an  annual  conference  where  Bishop  Janes 
presided.  We  received  a  telegram  that  Bishop 
Simpson  was  dying.  Said  Bishop  Janes,  'Let  us 
spend  a  few  moments  in  earnest  prayer  for  the  re- 
covery of  Bishop  Simpson.'     We  kneeled  to  pray. 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  141 

William  Taylor,  the  great  California  street  preach- 
er, was  called  to  pray  and  such  a  prayer  I  have 
never  heard  since.  The  impression  seized  upon  me 
irresistihly .  Bishop  Simpson  icill  not  die.  I  rose 
from  my  knees  perfectly  quiet.  Said  I,  'Bishop 
Simpson  will  not  die.'  'Why  do  you  think  so?' 
'Because  I  have  had  an  irresistible  impression  made 
upon  my  mind  during  this  prayer.'  Another  said, 
'I  have  the  same  impression.'  We  passed  along 
from  bench  to  bench,  until  we  found  that  a  very 
large  proportion  of  the  conference  had  the  same 
impression.  I  made  a  minute  of  the  time  of  day, 
and  when  I  next  saw  Simpson  he  was  attending  to 
his  daily  labor.  I  inquired  of  the  Bishop,  'How 
did  you  recover  from  your  sickness?'  He  replied, 
^I  cannot  tell.'  'What  did  your  physician  say  ?'  'He 
said  it  was  a  miracle.*  I  then  said  to  the  Bishop, 
'Give  me  the  time  and  circumstances  under  which 
the  change  occurred.'  He  fixed  upon  the  day,  and 
the  very  hour,  making  allowance  for  being  a  thou- 
sand miles  away,  that  the  preachers  were  engaged 
in  prayer.  The  physician  left  his  room  and  said  to 
his  wife,  'It  is  useless  to  do  anything  further,  the 
Bishop  must  die.'  In  about  an  hour  he  returned 
and  started  back,  inquiring,  '  What  have  you  done?' 
'Nothing,'  was  the  reply.  'He  is  recovering  rap- 
idly,' said  the  physician  ;  'a  change  has  occurred  in 
the  last  hour  beyond  anything  I  have  ever  seen,  the 
crisis  is  past,  and  the  Bishop  will  recover.'  And 
he  did." 

The  above  narrative  was  given  by  Bishop  Bow- 


142  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

man  ;  and  is  now  published  by  Fleming  H.  Revell, 
in  a  book  entitled,  The  Wonders  of  Prayer. 

We  believe  that  God  answered  those  prayers ; 
and  that  the  Spirit  made  the  impression  on  the 
minds  of  those  preachers  ;  and  that  God's  holy  an- 
gel— perhaps  the  very  one  that  stirred  the  waters 
of  Bethesda — arrested  the  Bishop's  disease  and 
restored  him  to  health,  and  service  for  the  church. 

The  following  case  is  reported  in  the  same  book. 

"A  sea  captain  relates  to  the  editor  of  the  Chris- 
tian^ a  remarkable  incident  whereby  in  one  of  his 
voyages  his  ship  was  unaccountably  held  still,  and 
thereby  saved  from  sailing  directly  into  the  midst 
of  a  terrible  hurricane  :  We  sailed  from  the  Kenne- 
bec on  the  first  of  October,  1876.  There  had  been 
several  severe  gales,  and  some  of  my  friends  thought 
it  was  not  right  to  undertake  the  voyage,  but  after 
considerable  prayer  I  concluded  it  was  right.  On 
the  19th  of  October  we  were  about  one  hundred 
and  fifty  miles  w^est  of  the  Bahamas,  when  we  en- 
countered very  disagreeable  weather.  For  five  or 
six  days  we  seemed  held  by  shifting  currents,  or 
some  unknown  poiver^  in  about  the  same  place. 
We  would  think  we  had  sailed  thirty  or  forty  miles, 
when  on  taking  our  observations,  we  would  find  we 
were  within  three  or  four  miles  of  our  position  the 
day  before.  This  circumstance  occurring  repeat- 
edly proved  a  trial  to  my  faith,  and  I  said  in  my 
heart,  'Lord,  why  are  we  so  hindered,  and  kept  in 
this  position  ?'  Day  after  day  we  were  held  as  by 
an  unseen  force,  until  at  length  a  change  took  place 
and  we  went  on  our  way.     Reaching  our  port  they 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  143 

inquired,  'Where  have  you  been  through  the  gale?* 
'What  gale?'  we  asked,  'We  have  seen  no  gale.' 
We  then  learned  that  a  terrible  hurricane  had  swept 
through  that  region  and  that  all  was  desolation. 
We  afterwards  learned  that  this  hurricane  had 
swept  around  us,  and  had  almost  formed  a  circle 
round  us  during  the  storm.  A  hundred  miles  in 
one  direction  all  was  wreck  and  ruin ;  and  fifty 
miles  in  the  other  direction,  all  was  desolation  ;  and 
while  that  storm  was  raging  in  all  its  fury,  we  were 
held  in  perfect  safety  in  quiet  waters,  and  in  con- 
tinual anxiety  to  change  our  course  and  pursue  our 
voyage.  One  day  of  ordinary  sailing  would  have 
brought  us  into  the  track  of  the  storm,  and  sent  us 
to  the  bottom  of  the  sea.  We  were  anxious  to  sail 
on,  but  some  unseen  power  held  us  where  we  were, 
and  we  escaped." 

Why  should  we  hesitate  to  believe  that  as  an  an- 
gel controlled  the  storm  and  the  ship  and  the  sea, 
when  St.  Paul  was  in  peril  as  he  sailed  for  Rome, 
so  an  a7igel  held  the  ship  of  that  praying  captain, 
and  restrained  him  from  sailing  into  danger  and 
death?  Had  the  volume  of  Inspiration  still  been 
open  and  in  progress  we  believe  these  cases,  and 
hundreds  more  like  them,  would  have  been  recorded 
as  instances  of  angelic  control  of  the  elements,  for 
the  safety  of  those  who  trust  in  the  Lord.  There 
is  DO  intimation,  in  the  Scriptures,  of  the  Spirit 
controlling  storms,  and  hurricanes,  and  ship  at  sea. 
But  there  are  wonderful  examples  of  anrjels  work- 
ing miracles  with  winds  and  waves  for  the  deliver- 
ance of  the  righteous.     And  we  have  neither  rea- 


144  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

son  nor  right  to  suppose  that  God  has  changed  his 
methods  of  governing  our  world  since  Paul's  time. 
The  holy  angels  are  not  yet  retired  from  service. 

DO  ANGELS  ORDER  SOME  DREAMS? 

From  the  same  source  we  copy  the  following 
remarkable  dream:  "The  late  Dr.  Whitehead  was 
accustomed  to  repeat  with  pleasure  the  following 
fact:  In  the  year  1764  he  was  stationed  as  an  itin- 
erant preacher  in  Cornwall.  He  had  to  preach  one 
evening  in  a  little  village  where  there  was  a  small 
Methodist  society.  '  The  friends,'  said  he,  '  at 
whose  house  we  preached  had  at  that  time  a  daugh- 
ter who  lived  with  one  of  our  people  about  ten 
miles  off.  His  wife  was  gone  to  attend  their  daugh- 
ter, who  was  dangerously  ill  of  fever  ;  and  her  hus- 
band had  that  day  received  a  message  that  his 
child's  life  was  despaired  of.  He  earnestly  and  in 
tears  desired  Mr.  Whitehead  to  recommend  his 
daughter  to  God  in  prayer,  both  before  and  after 
preaching.  He  did  so  in  the  most  warm  and  affec- 
tionate manner.  Late  that  evening,  while  the 
young  woman's  mother  was  sitting  by  her  daugh- 
ter's bedside  (who  had  been  in  a  strong  delirium 
for  several  days) ,  she  opened  her  eyes  and  hastily 
addressed  her  mother  thus  :  'O  mother  !  I  have  been 
dreaming  that  I  saw  a  man  lifting  up  his  eyes  and 
hands  to  heaven,  and  fervently  praying  to  God  for 
my  recovery !  The  Lord  has  heard  his  prayers, 
and  my  fever  is  gone.  And  what  is  far  better,  the 
Lord  has  spoken  peace  to  my  soul,  and  sealed  his 
pardoning  love  on  my  heart,  I  know  it,  I  feel  it. 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  145 

my  clear  mother ;  and  his  Spirit  bears  witness  with 
my  spirit  that  I  am  a  child  of  God,  and  an  heir  of 
glory.'  Her  mother,  thinking  she  was  still  in  delir- 
ium, desired  her  to  compose  herself  and  be  quiet. 
'  The  daughter  replied,  'Dear  mother,  I  am  in  no  de- 
lirium now ;  I  am  perfectly  in  my  senses  ;  do  help 
me  to  rise,  that  upon  my  bended  knees  I  may  praise 
God.'  Her  mother  did  so,  and  they  both  praised 
God  with  joyful  hearts,  and  from  that  hour  the 
young  woman  recovered  so  fast  that  she  was  soon 
able  to  attend  to  the  affairs  of  the  family,  where 
she  lived.  She  had  never  seen  Dr.  Whitehead  pre- 
vious to  this  remarkable  event ;  but  some  weeks  af- 
ter she  saw  him  ;  and  the  moment  she  beheld  his 
face  she  fainted.  As  soon  as  she  came  to  herself 
she  said,  'Sir,  you  are  the  person  I  saw  in  my 
dream,  when  I  was  ill  in  a  violent  fever  ;  and  I  be- 
held you  lift  up  your  hands  and  eyes  to  heaven, 
and  most  fervently  pray  for  my  recovery  and  con- 
version to  God.  The  Lord  in  mercy  heard  your 
prayers,  and  answered  them  to  the  healing  of  my 
wounded  spirit,  and  to  the  restoration  of  my  body.'" 
Now  that  the  young  lady  should  have  had  a 
dream,  and  even  have  dreamed  that  some  one  was 
praying  for  her  recovery  and  that  she  should  get 
well,  would  have  been  no  miracle.  But  how  could 
she  have  seen  Dr.  Whitehead,  at  the  very  moment 
he  was  at  prayer,  and  in  his  exact  posture,  with  his 
eyes  and  hands  lifted  to  heaven ;  and  heard  the 
very  words  he  spake,  ten  miles  away?  That  the 
whole  thing  was  no  delusion  is  proved  by  her  imme- 
diate recovery  and  her   conversion   to   God.     But 


146  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS. 

why  should  we  wonder?  Did  not  an  angel  give 
King  Nebuchadnezzar  a  wonderful  dream,  and  af- 
terward interpret  it  to  the  Prophet  Daniel?  Did 
not  an  angel  visit  Paul  in  the  hold  of  the  ship,  in 
the  midst  of  the  storm  and  speak  to  him  face  to 
face?  Why  should  not  an  angel  have  personified 
Dr.  Whitehead  in  the  dream  of  that  sick  and  suf- 
fering girl ;  appearing  to  her  exactly  as  the  Dr. 
would  have  appeared  had  she  been  awake  and 
standing  by  his  side  while  he  was  in  that  act  of 
supplication  ? 

We  believe  Mr.  Wesley  stands  on  scriptural 
ground  in  ascribing  "pious  dreams"  to  the  presence 
and  inspiKation  of  the  angels.  If  they  encamp 
about  us  to  protect  and  warn  us  in  our  waking 
hours,  why  may  they  not  communicate  with  us  in 
our  slumbers  in  the  silent  night?  We  do  believe 
that  while  Dr.  Whitehead  prayed  an  angel  was 
present  at  the  bedside  of  that  suffering  object  of 
his  travail  of  faith,  representing  to  her,  in  a  dream, 
what  was  transpiring  miles  away,  and  what  the  re- 
sult would  be. 


CHAPTER  XV. 


Instances  of  the  Visible  Appearance 
of  flngels. 

•'How  oft  may  be  seen  what  to  Jacob  was  shoAvn, 
When  reposing  at  night  on  his  pillow  of  stone ; 
The  angels  desending  and  returning  again, 
In  intercourse  sweet  with  the  children  of  men." 

The  ancient  times  were  luminous  with  angelic 
presence.  Across  the  olden  years  flashed  the 
brightness  of  their  faces.  Through  the  dashing 
centuries  rang  the  melody  of  their  voices.  And 
when  the  vail  shall  be  lifted  it  will  appear  that  our 
own  changing  eras  are  not  less  visited  and  swayed 
by  the  wisdom  and  power  of  the  sons  of  light.  Not 
only  do  they  watch  us  from  amid  the  shadows, 
guiding  our  dangerous  ways  by  unseen,  and  oft  un- 
recognized influences ;  but  sometimes,  and  oftener 
than  we  are  wont  to  think,  they  stand  disclosed  in 
visible  forms,  and  bare  their  arms  of  strength  in 
deliverances  which  baffle  the  solutions  of  the  most 
incredulous  philosophy.  They  rescue  precious  and 
important  lives,  and  protect  whom  heaven  has  or- 
dained to  great  achievements  for  the  right. 

Of  Samuel  Rutherford,  one  of  the  chief  lights  of 
the  Reformation  period,  and  who  was  Professor  at 


148  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

St.  Andrew's,  in  Scotland,  in  1643,  it  is  related 
that  in  his  childhood  he  fell,  one  morning,  into  a 
deep  well.  No  person  was  in  sight,  or  in  hearing 
of  cries.  Instinctively  he  clutched  the  mossy  rocks. 
But  his  childish  strength  was  ebbing  fast,  when  a 
man,  robed  in  white  glided  down  to  him,  and  fold- 
ing  his  strong  arms  around  his  little  form,  bore  him 
safely  out,  then  instantly  disappeared.  His  drip- 
ping and  bruised  condition,  when  found,  verified 
his  narrow  escape.  The  person  who  had  rescued 
him  could  never  be  found.  And  his  belief  was, 
specially  in  his  after  years,  that  God  sent  an  angel 
to  preserve  his  life  that  he  might  be  a  preacher  of 
the  gospel,  and  a  flaming  witness  against  the  wick- 
ed Papacy.  Need  it  be  thought  incredible  that  the 
holy  angel  who  dug  a  ivell  in  the  wilderness  of 
Beer-sheba  to  save  Hagar's  boy  from  dying  of 
thirst,  should,  in  these  later  times,  glide  down  to 
the  bottom  of  a  well  and  rescue  a  young  lad,  se- 
lected of  God  for  heroic  defense  of  this  Word  of 
truth,  when  grown  to  manhood  ? 

Three  hundred  years  ago  when  the  soil  of  France 
was  red  with  the  blood  of  her  martyrs,  the  murder- 
ous Inquisition  sought  a  fresh  victim  in  the  person 
of  the  head  of  a  family  of  Christians  ;  but  the  wife 
and  children  secreted  the  father,  and  would  not  re- 
veal his  hiding  place.  Enraged  at  being  cheated  of 
their  prey,  the  heartless  tools  of  Rome  seized  one 
of  the  children,  a  frail  boy  in  his  teens,  and  put 
him  to  torture  to  force  from  him  by  the  power  of 
pain,  a  confession  of  his  father's  covert.  The 
thumb-screws  were  cruelly   applied — those   instru- 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  149 

ments  of  exquisite  suffering  ; — but  the  lad  was  firm. 
Then  followed  the  lighted  matches,  placed  between 
the  fingers, — a  keener  torture  still.  The  heroic  boy 
gave  no  sign  of  pain,  save  the  swift  movement  of 
his  pale  lips  in  prayer.  The  tormentors,  hardened 
as  they  were,  were  awe-struck  by  the  child's  mirac- 
ulous fortitude,  and  released  him.  His  friends, 
who  had  stood  by  in  helpless  agony,  took  him  to 
their  bosoms,  and  said,  *'Was  it  not  terrible  to 
bear?"  *'It  was  indeed  hard  to  bear."  he  said, 
"but  at  the  worst  of  it  a  tall  angel  came  and  stood 
beside  me,  and  pointed  his  finger  up  towards  heaven, 
and  all  the  pain  left  me." 

Might  it  not  have  been  the  same  angel  who  vis- 
ited Luther  at  midnight,  in  his  chamber,  at  the  Diet 
of  Worms,  that,  a  little  later,  stood  beside  the  pale- 
browed  boy  in  France,  gi^ing  him  courage  and 
power  of  endurance  which  struck  his  persecutors 
with  strange  fear  and  forced  them  to  release  their 
innocent  young  victim? 

Quite  many  years  ago  the  author  of  this  little 
volume  was  pastor  of  the  F.  Baptist  church  at  Mil- 
ton Mills,  N.  H.  At  an  extreme  quarter  of  the 
parish  stood  the  Farnham  homestead.  The  dwelling, 
a  plain  farm-house,  was  then  occupied  by  John 
Farnham  and  his  wife  Fanny.  They  were  most  ex- 
cellent Christian  people,  greatly  beloved.  Ralph 
Farnham,  father  of  John,  was  a  revolutionary  sol- 
dier, and  had  spent  most  of  his  days  on  that  home- 
stead, an  excellent  citizen,  a  devoted  Christian. 
He  was  converted  to  God  by  witnessing  the  phe- 
nomenon called  the  '•'•dark  day"  which  occurred  on 


150  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

the  19th  of  May  1780,  and  which,  to  his  latest 
hour,  he  was  accustomed  to  describe  in  very  glow- 
ing and  impressive  language.  He  lived  to  a  re- 
markably old  age.  On  his  one  hundred  and  fourth 
birthday  he  was  carried  to  Boston,  Mass.,  where  he 
was  received,  and  for  some  days  entertained,  with 
much  eclat,  as  the  oldest  living  soldier  of  the  Rev- 
olution. 

He  was  a  mild,  quiet,  calm,  serene.  Christian 
man,  never  given  to  anything  fanatical  or  vision- 
ary- He  spent  his  last  years  at  the  quiet  Farnham 
homestead,  tenderly  cared  for  by  his  son  John, 
who,  with  wife,  was  affectionately  devoted  to  the 
beautiful  patriarch. 

One  morning,  a  few  years  before  his  death,  Mrs. 
Farnham  heard  him  calling  with  unusual  animation  : 
"Fanny,  come  quick,  O,  come  quick,  Fanny."  She 
sprang  to  his  room  and  found  him  sitting  in  his 
arm-chair  with  a  heavenly  radiance  on  his  counte- 
nance, as  if  some  new  and  great  joy  had  burst  upon 
him  from  the  world  of  light.  As  she  entered  he 
exclaimed,  "Don't  you  see  them,  Fanny  !  O  the 
beautiful  angels  I  Can't  you  see  them  ?  How  sweet- 
ly they  sing  !  O  Fanny,  you  must  see  them  !  You 
must  hear  them  sing !"  After  some  minutes  the 
heavenly  visitants  retired,  leaving  the  grand  old 
soldier,  both  of  his  country  and  his  God,  in  a  won- 
derfully happy  frame  of  mind. 

As,  more  than  once,  we  stood  in  that  silent  room, 
beside  that  "oZcZ  arm-chair''  and  heard  from  "Fanny" 
the  recital  of  that  scene,  we  seemed  to  feel  the  sa- 
cred presence  of  the  holy  augels  of  heaven,  and 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  151 

feel  the  soft  motion  of  the  air,  as  when  their  white 
wings,  seen  by  him  alone,  fanned  his  wrinkled 
brow  till  it  shone  majestic  in  the  light  of  God. 

There  is  every  reason  to  believe  that  dying  saints 
often  see  angels  around  them.  How  many  have 
seen  on  the  faces  of  their  friends,  just  as  they  were 
touching  the  cold  waters,  expressions  of  unearthly 
light  and  beauty,  as  they  lay  speechless,  gazing  so 
earnestly,  as  if  upon  some  shining  form.  The 
Spiritualists  will  say  they  see  their  dead  friends, 
come  to  bear  them  to  the  spirit  world.  We  say 
they  see  the  holy  angels,  sent  to  suffuse  the  gather- 
ing shadows  of  the  grave  with  the  light  and  glory 
of  promised  resurrection. 

"We  have  known  many  cases  of  little  children 
being  very  happy  in  pangs  of  a  painful  death,  tell- 
ing those  around  them  that  they  saw  beautiful  an- 
gels. Many  who  read  these  words  will  recall  death- 
bed scenes  of  touching  interest,  when  they  felt  that 
the  place  was  hallowed  by  the  holy  presence  of 
attending  angels.  If,  as  the  Bible  declares,  they 
*'are  all  ministering  spirits — angels — sent  forth  to 
minister  to — or  serve — them  that  shall  be  heirs  of 
salvation,"  all  through  our  years  of  strength  and 
activity,  they  will  not  desert  us  when  we  are  pass- 
ing down  into  the  dark  valley.  If  they  attend  us 
through  all  our  long  and  weary  journey  they  surely 
will  not  leave  us  to  struggle  alone  with  the  black- 
winged  angel  at  the  moment  of  supreme  need  of 
sympathy  and  aid,  more  than  mortal  friends  can 
give.  But  when  we  shall  come  to  that  mysterious 
moment  where  earthly  voices  die  on  our  ears,  and 


152  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

loving  human  faces  fade  from*  our  sight,  then  their 
voices  shall  charm  our  closing  moments  with  holy 
cheer ;  and  their  smiles  shall  tenderly  light  us  to 
our  silent  and  dreamless  bed. 

A  distinguished  French  physician  who  undertook 
to  account  for  the  entire  phenomena  of  Christian 
experience  by  natural  causes,  frankly  confessed 
that  the  ''^dyiyig  fancies"  of  many  religious  persons 
baffled  all  solution.  **In  the  most  severe  suffer- 
ings, even  in  the  agonies  of  death,"  he  said,  "they 
were  often  very  joyful,  and  resigned,  declaring  in 
their  latest  breath  their  rooms  were  full  of  angels  ; 
and  that  they  heard  them  sing." 

A  very  impressive  instance  of  angelic  protection 
occurred  in  the  experience  of  William  Miller.  In 
1843  he  was  lecturing  in  New  York.  At  one  of  his 
meetings  a  violent  mob  assembled  around  the  place, 
with  threatening  demonstrations.  At  the  close  of 
the  service  as  Mr.  Miller  went  into  the  street  the 
roughs  set  on  him  with  the  cry,  "That  is  old  Miller. 
Take  him  !"  At  that  instant  two  persons  appeared 
in  front  of  him,  singularly  attired,  and,  facing  the 
mob,  walked  backwards  for  nearly  a  mile  to  Mr. 
M's  lodgings,  the  furious  multitude  following  them 
all  the  way  with  demonstrations  of  violence.  His 
strange  escort  uttered  no  word  during  their  walk, 
but  when  the  rabble  became  furious,  they  waved 
their  hands,  which  seemed  to  have  great  influence 
over  them.  When  Mr.  Miller  reached  his  destina- 
tion his  deliverers  suddenly  disappeared  and  the 
angry  crowd  quietly  retired.  The  singular  event 
awakened  a  deep  interest   among  the   people,  but 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  153 

the  closest  inquiry  failed  to  reveal  the  mysterious 
defenders  of  God's  servant.  And  Mr.  M.  ex- 
pressed his  solemn  belief  that  they  were  angels  of 
God.  And  the  Christian  people  who  were  best  ac- 
quainted with  the  circumstances  fully  concurred  in 
that  conclusion. 

Cases  similar  in  character,  and  well  authenticated, 
are  too  common,  even  in  recent  times,  to  make  fur- 
ther recital  necessary.  But  most  people,  unwilling 
to  recognize  the  superhuman  aspects  of  the  divine 
government  of  our  world,  attempt  to  discredit  all 
evidences  of  the  ministry  of  heavenly  beings  in  our 
midst.  There  is  much  more  inclination  to  accept 
the  vagaries  of  modern  Spiritualism  than  to  believe 
the  plain  and  inspired  teachings  of  God's  Word. 
But  to  those  who  are  willing  to  see,  the  vast  fields 
of  Revelation  are  luminously  dotted  with  foot-prints 
of  celestial  intelligences,  to  whose  tender  but  mighty 
guardianship  we  are  indebted,  under  God,  for  pro- 
tection and  safety. 

ANGELS  MORE  PROMINENT  AS  WE  APPROACH  THE  END 

OF  TIME. 

If,  as  we  have  seen,  the  holy  seraphs  have  held 
high  ministerial  place  in  the  successive  develop- 
ment3<of  the  redemptive  economy,  we  would  cer- 
tainly expect  their  offices  to  become  still  more 
abundant  and  interesting  as  the  final  scenes  of 
human  destiny  draw  nigh.  Having  served  as  the 
flaming  messengers  of  the  Lord  Jesus  from  the 
manger  to  the  throne,  and  onward  through  the  gos- 
pel era,  they,  surely,  will  not  fail  to  participate  iu 


154  FOOT-PRINTS  OP  ANGELS. 

the  grand  and  awful  events  connected  with  his  re- 
turn in  judgment  of  his  enemies  and  for  the  crown- 
ing of  his  own.  If  they  watched  the  cradle  of  his 
infancy  they  will  not  be  silent  when  the  anthems  of 
his  kingship  shall  be  sung.  If  they  have  signalized 
themselves  as  champions  of  their  Master's  long 
conflict  with  the  powers  of  darkness  they  will  not 
miss  being  the  jubilant  witnesses  of  his  final  mag- 
nificent triumph.  Having  fought  the  evil  angels, 
throughout  the  fierce  struggle  of  the  centuries,  they 
will  be  sure  to  be  present  in  full  numbers  when  the 
demons  receive  their  doom.  The  divinely  appointed 
helpers  of  the  saints  in  all  the  ages,  they  will  be 
foremost  in  delighted  acclaim  when  the  laurels  of 
endless  joys  are  bestowed  by  the  hand  of  their 
Lord  and, King.  The  friends  alike  of  the  Bride- 
groom and  the  bride,  they  will  crowd  all  the  gal- 
leries of  heaven  at  the  nuptials. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

Rn  Angel  Announces  the  Coming  of 
the  Kif^g* 


*»Behold !  with  awful  pomp, 
The  Judge  prepares  to  come  ; 
The  archangel  SDunds  the  dreadful  trump 
And  wakes  the  general  doom."  Wesley. 

A  twain  of  anyels  astonished  the  sad  and  per- 
plexed disciples  as,  at  Bethany,  they  watched  their 
ascending  Lord,  with  the  wonderful  announcement : 
"This  same  Jesus,  which  is  taken  up  from  you  into 
heaven,  shall  so  come  in  like  manner  as  ye  have 
seen  him  go  into  heaven."  For  the  fulfillment  of 
these  majestic  words  the  hope  of  the  church  has 
travailed  through  the  weary  and  sanguine  ages. 
Should  this  wonderful  revelation  fail,  the  crown 
and  kingdom  for  which  the  martyrs  died  and  all 
saints  have  looked  and  prayed,  must  be  forever  a 
mocking  phantom.  For  if  their  Lord  and  our  Lord 
returns  not  there  can  be  neither  resurrection  nor 
eternal  life.  How  fitting,  therefore,  that  those 
heavenly  messengers  should  be  allowed  to  vindicate 
their  own  grand  prophecy  by  proclaiming,  in  a  voice 
that  shall  shake  the  earth  and  skies,  and  penetrate 
the  Hadean  valley  to  its  remotest  borders,  ''Behold  ! 


156  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

he  Cometh  with   clouds,  and   every   eye   shall   see 
him." 

And  thus  a  strong  angel  opens  the  great  judg- 
ment scenes:  *'For  the  Lord  himself  shall  descend 
from  heaven  with  a  shout,  with  the  voice  of  the 
archangel,  and  with  the  trump  of  God  ;  and  the 
dead  in  Christ  shall  rise  first."     1  Thess.  4  :  16. 

This  entire  transaction  will  be  as  literal  and  visi- 
ble as  the  scene  of  the  ascension.  "T/ie  Lord  him- 
self shall  descend  from  heaven."  To  spiritualize 
these  words  would  be  to  annul  the  very  founda- 
tions of  Christian  hope.  And  if  the  coming  of  the 
Saviour  is  to  be  literal,  the  appearing  of  the  arch- 
angel, and  the  sound  of  his  tremendous  voice  must 
be  real. 

Of  this  scripture  Dr.  Adam  Clark  says:  "Jesus 
Christ  shall  descend  from  heaven  in  like  manner  as 
he  was  seen  by  his  disciples  to  ascend,  that  is  in 
human  form.  '  With  a  shouf  or  order ;  and  prob- 
ably in  these  words,  Arise,  ye  dead  and  come  to 
judgment!  Which  order  will  be  repeated  by  the 
archangel,  who  will  accompany  it  with  the  sound  of 
the  trump  of  God,  whose  great  and  terrible  blasts, 
like  those  on  Mount  Sinai,  sounding  louder  and 
louder,  shall  shake  both  the  heavens  and  the  earth.'* 
Grand  !  Awful !  Glorious  !  Suddenly  as  flash 
of  vivid  lightning,  on  the  dancing,  rushing,  giddy, 
unconscious,  teeming  millions  will  break  the  mighty 
^'shout,''  shaking  the  pillars  of  creation;  stopping 
the  pulses  of  the  universe.  Then  instantly,  the 
chief  angel,  the  head  of  the  loyal  legions,  the  tall- 
est and  mightiest  son  of  heaven,  he  who  unveiled 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  157 

to  the  Prophet  Daniel  the  rise  and  career  of  the 
great  monarchies,  filling  all  time  ;  and  changed  deso- 
late Patmos  to  a  lucid  panorama  whose  flashing 
glory  revealed  the  coming  events  of  two  thousand 
years,  will  lift  up  his  voice,  responsive  to  the  "shout" 
of  the  descending  Christ;  and,  putting  the  "trump 
of  God"  to  his  lips,  will  blow  the  long,  loud,  solemn 
judgment  blast,  calling  the  living  and  the  dead  to 
the  great  assize. 

"That  day,  the  golden  trump, 
Whose  A'oice,  from  center  to  circumference 
Of  all  created  things,  was  heard  distinct, 
God  had  bid  Michael  sound,  to  summon  all 
The  hosts  of  earth  to  presence  of  the  King." 

THE    SERAPHIC    RETINUE. 

"Lift  your  heads,  ye  friends  of  Jesus, 
Partners  in  his  patience  here, 
Christ  to  all  believers  precious. 
Lord  of  lords  ■will  soon  appear, 

Mark  the  tokens 
Of  his  heavenly  kingdom  near. 

Sun  and  moon  are  both  confounded, 

Darkened  into  endless  night, 
When  -with  ayigel  hosts  surrounded, 

In  his  Father's  glory  bright. 
Beams  the  Saviour, 

Shines  the  everlasting  light." 

Angelic  display  is  always  commensurate  with  the 
importance  of  the  occasion.  One  angel  announced 
to  Zacharias  the  birth  of  John,  the  forerunner  of 
Christ.  Only  one  angel  revealed  to  Mary  that  she 
should  be  honored  by  the  motherhood  of  P^manuel. 
And  to  Paul,  in  that  terrible  night  of  storm  and 
danger,  appeared  a  solitary  messenger  from  heaven, 


158  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

assuring  him  of  protection  and  deliverance.  And, 
although  Peter  was  bound  with  double  manacles 
and  guarded  by  four  times  the  usual  number  of  sol- 
diers, a  single  angel  entered  his  well-protected  cell, 
smote  off  his  chains  and  set  him  free.  But  the 
opening  of  the  Saviour's  grave  on  the  predicted 
third  day  was  an  event  which,  in  importance  and 
grandeur,  rose  to  a  loftier  plane  ;  yet  but  tivo  holy 
ones  were  commissioned  to  roll  away  the  stone  and 
escort  the  triumphant  Christ  out  of  the  dominions 
of  death.  Even  at  the  ascension,  when  the  immor- 
tal Prince  of  Life  made  his  royal  return  to  his  Father's 
throne,  only  a  twain  of  seraphs  graced  the  magnifi- 
cent scene. 

But  the  birth  of  Jesus,  which  was  the  crowning 
of  the  expectation  of  the  prophetic  ages,  and  the 
incarnation  of  the  hope  of  the  world,  was  signal- 
ized by  the  presence  of  a  great  host  of  visitants 
from  the  throne  whose  anthem  of  royal  recognition 
filled  all  the  arch  of  heaven  and  shook  the  Judean 
hills  with  a  chorus  new  and  vast ;  reminding  na- 
ture, too  little  used  to  angel  voices  since  the  dark 
night  of  evil  set  in,  of  that  jubilant  hour  when  the 
morning  stars  sang  together  and  the  sons  of  God 
shouted  for  joy. 

But  there  is  coming  an  occasion  and  a  scene 
whose  majesty  and  glory  will  tower  above  all  gran- 
deur and  power  ever  witnessed  by  men  or  angels ; 
whose  flashing  resplendence  will  dim  the  beauty  of 
the  stars  ;  whose  vast  significance  will  be  the  won- 
der of  the  universe  ;  whose  attraciions  will  empty 
the  heaven  of  heavens  of  all  its  worshipers  ;  whose 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  159 

august  pageantry  will  appall  the  boldest  demons, 
and  amaze  the  sons  of  men  beyond  compare.  When 
the  long  absent  Nobleman  shall  return  ;  when  the 
royal  Son  of  David  shall  come  to  resume  the  long 
vacant  throne  ;  when  the  Bridegroom  shall  appear 
for  the  marriage  of  his  chosen  from  the  foundation 
of  the  world  ;  when  the  conqueror  of  death,  of  hell, 
shall  gird  himself  for  final  victory  ;  w^hen  the  King 
of  kings  shall  come  in  with  scepter  and  throne, 
every  angel  of  heaven,  every  seraph  of  God  will 
join  his  train. 

♦'Lo !  his  triumphant  chariot  waits, 
And  angels  chant  the  solemn  lay, 
Lift  up  your  heads,  ye  heavenly  gates, 
Ye  everlasting  doors,  give  way. 

Who  is  the  King  of  glory,  who  ? 

The  Lord,  of  glorious  power  possessed, 
The  King  of  saints  and  angels  too, 

God  over  all  forever  blest." 

In  the  far-back  ages  the  captive  prophet  foresaw 
that  day  and  filled  with  holy  rapture,  exclaimed : 
"I  beheld  till  the  thrones  were  cast  down,  and  the 
Ancient  of  days  did  sit,  whose  garment  was  white 
as  snow,  and  the  hair  of  his  head  like  pure  wool ; 
his  throne  was  like  the  fiery  flame,  and  his  wheels 
as  burning  fire.  A  fiery  stream  issued  and  came 
forth  from  before  him  ;  thousand  thousands  minis- 
tered unto  him,  and  ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand 
stood  before  him;  the  judgment  was  set  and  the 
books  were  opened."     Daniel  7  :  10. 

And  in  this  later  age,  our  Lord  himself,  predict- 
ing his  own  return,  said:  "When  the  Son  of  man 
shall  come  in  his  glory,  and  all  the  holy  angels  luith 


160  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

Mm"  Matt.  25:  31.  And,  also,  "For  whosoever 
shall  be  ashamed  of  me  and  of  my  words,  of  him 
shall  the  Son  of  man  be  ashamed  when  he  shall 
come  in  Ms  own  glory,  and  in  his  Father's,  and  of 
the  holy  angels."     Luke  9  :  26. 

The  Son  of  man  coming  with  all  his  holy  an- 
gels !  Glorious  retinue !  Magnificent  display  of 
the  royalty  of  heaven  !  Concourse  vast  of  seraphs 
and  archseraphs  !  A  shining  train  witnessed  ne'er 
before  and  never  again  in  God's  endless  years ! 
Heaven's  high  ovation  to  Jehovah's  only  Son  on  his 
triumphal  entry  into  kingship  of  his  purchased  pos- 
session !  Resplendent  celebration  of  redemption 
completed,  demons  and  their  dark  work  abolished, 
peace,  universal  and  eternal,  established.  Mighty 
angelic  acclaim  as  the  Lion  of  Judah  leads  "captiv- 
ity captive,"  and  chains  death  and  hades  to  his 
chariot  wheels. 

"The  glory !  the  glory !  around  him  are  poured 
Mighty  hosts  of  the  angels  that  wait  on  the  Lord !" 

''''All  Ms  holy  angels."  Ten  thousand  times  ten 
thousand,  thousands  of  thousands!  "Twelve  le- 
gions" strong  !  Myriads  of  myriads  !  For  the  first 
time  and  for  the  last  there  will  be  silence  in  heaven. 
On  that  great  day  all  the  harpers  of  the  skies  will 
have  gone  down  to  earth  with  the  conqueror  of  the 
nations.  '•^All."  More  than  Isaiah  could  count  or 
John  could  number.  Filling  all  the  highway  of  the 
heavens,  a  mighty  thronging  host ;  before,  behind, 
around  the  advancing  King,  onward  they  come. 
The   glory   of   their    flashing   wings    obscures    the 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  161 

brightness  of  the  firmament.  The  dancing  clouds 
reflect  the  effulgent  splendor  of  their  majestic 
movement ;  and  the  long  groaning  earth  claps  its 
hands  as  when  some  great  jubilee  draws  near. 

As  escort  most  appropriate  they  come.  The  swift 
and  tireless  ministers  of  Christ  through  all  his  long 
conflict  with  sin,  his  willing  and  faithful  messengers 
of  grace  and  deliverance  to  his  followers  in  every 
age  :  true  witnesses  of  the  travail  of  his  soul  in  sac- 
rificial  offering  and  intercession,  how  fit  that  they — 
his  holy  angels — should  escort  him  now  to  his 
greatest  conflict,  his  grandest  victory.  Brushing 
asunder  the  blue  drapery  of  the  skies  they  swiftly 
clear  the  way  for  the  mighty  conqueror's  chariot 
wheels.  Down  to  mid-heavens  they  guide  their  vic- 
tor King.  Straight  to  the  open  field  where  devils 
and  death  can  elude  his  matchless  arm  no  longer 
they  proudly  lead  him  on. 

"The  judgment ;  the  judgment !  the  thrones  are  all  set, 
Where  the  Lamb  and  the  white- vested  elders  are  met ; 
There  all  flesh  is  at  once  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord, 
And  the  doom  of  eternity  hangs  on  his  word.*' 

As  aid-de-camps  they  come.  Not  as  clouds  of 
silent  witnesses  will  "all  his  holy  angels"  come 
with  our  returning  Lord.  Not  skirting  the  field  in 
numbers  vast  will  they  watch  a  single-handed  fight 
between  Christ  and  Belial.  From  the  inception  of 
the  rebellion  in  heaven,  till  the  closing  act  of  the 
earthly  drama,  the  loyal  angels  withstand  the  whole 
army  of  fiends.  And  when  the  final  struggle  comes 
ou  that  is  to  settle  the  issue  of  eternal  peace,  the 
heavenly  ones  will  bear  a  willing  and  effective  part. 
''And  at  that  time  shall  Michael  stand  up,  the  great 


162  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS. 

prince  which  standeth  for  the  children  of  thy  peo- 
ple." Dan.  12  :  1.  "Michael  and  his  angels  fought 
against  the  dragon,  and  the  dragon  fought  and  his 
angels."     Rev.  12:  7. 

As  executors  of  Christ's  orders  of  judgment  and 
extermination  the  "twelve  legions,"  whom  he  might 
have  called  to  his  aid  in  his  earliest  conflicts,  will  be 
the  swift  avengers  of  their  insulted  Lord,  and  of 
his  slain  followers. 

The  parable  of  the  tares  assigns  to  the  angels  an 
important  part  in  the  divine  administration  of  jus- 
tice at  the  world's  great  harvest  day. 

"The  field  is  the  world ;  the  good  seed  are  the 
children  of  the  kingdom ;  but  the  tares  are  the  chil- 
dren of  the  wicked  one ;  the  enemy  that  sowed 
them  is  the  devil ;  the  harvest  is  the  end  of  the 
world  ;  and  the  reapers  are  the  angels.  As  there- 
fore the  tares  are  gathered  and  burned  in  the  fire, 
so  shall  it  be  in  the  end  of  this  world.  The  Son  of 
man  shall  send  forth  his  angels,  and  they  shall 
gather  out  of  his  kingdom  all  things  that  offend, 
and  them  which  do  iniquity ;  and  shall  cast  them 
into  a  furnace  of  fire."     Matt.  13  :  38-42. 

This  very  strong  descriptive  language  must  be 
intended  to  teach  that  the  angels  will  be  employed 
by  Christ,  in  his  judgment  work,  to  separate  the 
"vile  from  the  good,"  and  to  destroy  the  "tares" — 
the  children  of  the  wicked  one. 

In  the  great  Armageddon  battle  the  loyal  sons  of 
heaven  will  not  bear  the  sword  in  vain.  Nor  will 
they  stay  their  hand  till  the  last  black  fiend  is  slain, 
and  all  the  enemies  of  God  are  blotted  from  his  sight. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 
Angels  Will  Hail  the  Hising  Dead. 


"The  great  archa7igel'$  trump  shall  sound, 
While  twice  ten  thousand  thunders  roar; 
Tear  up  the  graves,  and  cleave  the  ground 
And  make  the  greedy  sea  restore." 

No  angel  or  archangel  can  raise  the  dead.  Mi- 
chael and  Gabriel  have  voices  of  vast  power  and 
majestic  tone,  but  neither  of  them,  nor  the  united 
voices  of  all  the  celestial  myriads,  can  break  the 
sleep  of  death.  The  slumber  of  the  tomb  is  too 
profound  to  yield  to  aught  but  infinite  command. 
The  grim  enemy's  hand  is  too  firmly  set  upon  its 
precious  treasure  to  relax  at  less  than  touch  of 
uncreated  power.  The  gloomy  gates  of  the  great 
charnel  house  have  sullenly  resisted  the  pleading 
pathos  of  robbed  affection  through  all  the  mortal 
ages,  and  they  will  vibrate  only  at  the  voice  which 
called  the  worlds  into  being.  Hades  owns  but  one 
victor.  When  he,  who  stood  amid  the  shadows  of 
the  bereaved  Bethany  hearthstone  and  cried,  ''Laza- 
rus, come  forth,"  shall  call,  the  grave  will  answer. 

The  angels  could  not  awaken  the  sleeping  Sav- 
iour ;  but  they  could  watch  his  tomb,  and  roll  away 
the  stone  when  the  hour  for  his  revival  came.     And 


164  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

SO  their  tender  ministries  toward  their  divine  Mas- 
ter were  not  broken  by  his  transient  detention  in 
death.  Their  relations  to  his  resurrection  were  in- 
timate and  sacred.  And  with  the  quickening  of  all 
the  saints  also  the  Scriptures  most  closely  and  inter- 
estingly connect  the  angels  of  God. 

That  remarkable  text  in  1  Thess.  4:  16,  "For 
the  Lord  himself  shall  descend  from  heaven  with  a 
shout,  with  the  voice  of  the  archangel,  and  with  the 
trump  of  God,  and  the  dead  in  Christ  shall  rise 
first,"  implies  that  the  archangel  is  somehow  offi- 
cially related  to  the  awakening  and  arising  of  the 
dead. 

^''I  am  the  resurrection^''  said  Jesus.  The  essen- 
tial life-restoring  energy  must  proceed  from  him. 
His  descending  '•'shout"  must  vibrate  through  every 
particle  of  saintly  dust.  Yet  the  apo'fetle  so  closely 
associates  the  '•''voice  of  the  archangel"  with  the 
"shout"  of  the  Saviour  as  to  create  the  belief  that 
the  angels,  at  least  the  chief  angel,  are  semi-offi- 
cially  concerned  in  the  resurrection  itself.  It  may 
be  that  the  ''voice''  of  the  angel  and  the  "trump"  of 
God  serve  as  the  grand  announcement  that  the 
august  moment  has  come  for  the  Life-giver  to  an- 
nul the  power  of  death  and  call  the  silent  nations 
to  life,  and  to  judgment ;  the  voice  and  the  trump 
being  the  solemn  prelude  to  the  omnipotent  sum- 
mons by  him  who  alone  can  set  the  prisoners  free. 

The  shout^  the  voice,  the  trump !  Grand  blending 
into  the  mighty  mandate  that  shall  dissolve  the  vast 
empire  whose  speechless  subjects  outnumber  the  liv- 
ing of  all  the  cities  of  the  world  !     Welcome  sound 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  165 

to  the  saintly  myriads  of  the  dark  valley  !  Note  of 
doom  to  him  who  hath  the  power  of  death,  and  to 
death  itself  !  Sound  of  illimitable  joy  to  the  army 
of  martyrs !  Accents  of  despair  to  their  accusers. 

Spurgeon  says :  ''What  has  our  risen  Lord  left 
behind  him  ?  Our  faith  has  learned  to  gather  up 
memorials  sweet  from  the  couch  of  the  Saviour's 
tranquil  slumber.  Well,  beloved,  he  left  angels 
behind  him,  and  made  the  grave, 

'A  cell  where  angels  use 

To  come  and  go  with  heavenly  news.' 

Angels  were  not  in  the  tomb  before,  but,  at  his 
resurrection,  they  descended ;  one  rolled  away  the 
stone  ;  others  sat  where  the  body  of  Jesus  was  lain. 
They  were  the  personal  attendants  and  body-guard 
of  the  great  Prince,  and  therefore  they  attended  him 
at  his  rising,  keeping  the  doorway  and  answering 
the  inquiries  of  his  friends.  Angels  are  full  of  life 
and  vigor,  but  they  did  not  hesitate  to  assemble  at 
the  grave,  gracing  the  resurrection  as  flowers  adorn 
the  spring.  I  read  not  that  our  Master  has  ever 
withdrawn  his  angels  from  the  sepulchres  of  his 
saints.  Anq^els  are  both  the  servitors  of  livino: 
saints  and  the  custodians  of  their  dust.  The  an- 
gels from  heaven  rolled  away  the  stone  from  our 
Lord's  sepulchre  and  let  in  the  fresh  air,  and  he 
stepped  out  more  than  conqueror.  Death  had  fled. 
The  grave  had  capitulated." 

How  joyfully  will  the  blessed  angels  greet  the 
rising  saints  !  At  every  cemetery  on  earth  a  shin- 
ing convoy  will  attend.  At  every  lone  grave,  un- 
marked   by   monument   or    slab,    some    angel    will 


166  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

stand,  waiting  with  radiant  face,  to  hear  the  order, 
''Awake,  ye  dead,  and  come  forth."  No  bed  so 
lowly,  of  orphan  poor,  or  pauper  long  disowned, 
but  over  it  shall  bend,  that  hour,  a  seraph  tall  and 
glorious  as  ever  graced  the  presence  of  the  King  of 
kings.  No  long  forgotten  mound  of  little  child^ 
under  the  weeping  willow,  planted  by  hands  tremu- 
lous with  poverty  and  grief,  but  shall  be  sought 
and  found  and  tenderly  watched  by  some  vigilant 
angel  from  out  the  vast,  shining  ranks.  No  solitary 
grain  of  holy  martyr's  scattered  dust  but  shall  be 
looked  for  by  seraphic  eyes,  and  gathered  to  its  fel- 
low particles  secure. 

With  what  high  acclaim  of  sacred  gladness  will 
the  rising  hosts  be  hailed  by  the  holy  legions ! 
Quickly  and  certainly  as  a  mother's  love  they  will 
recognize  the  forms  they  guarded  in  the  hard  life- 
struggles  of  the  long  gone  years.  How  they  will 
smile,  and  wave  their  snow-white  hands,  and  shout 
in  irrespressible  delight  as  the  subjects  of  their 
faithful  guardianship  come  trooping  from  the  vales 
of  death !  How  loud,  and  long,  and  grandly  will 
they  shout  when  the  fifty  million  martyrs  rise  !  In 
what  sweet,  soft  notes  will  they  sing  a  new-born 
anthem,  lovingly  improvised,  a  tender  refrain  of 
the  cradle  songs  of  earth,  when  all  the  little  chil- 
dren, myriads  of  myriads,  shall  come  to  their  ca- 
ressing arms  !  And  O,  in  what  transcendent  tones 
of  majestic  triumph  will  they  tauntingly  exclaim, 
"O  grave,  where  is  thy  victory  now?  and  where  thy 
sting,  O  death!" 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  167 

•'What  place  more  strange  could  men  have  found 

Wherein  to  plant  the  cross  than  where 
The  flowers  in  clusters  hid  the  ground 
And  filled  with  fragrance  all  the  air  ? 

Did  ever  drearier  shadows  fall 

Athwart  the  crimson  and  the  gold, 
Than  when  in  its  gaunt  arms  the  tall, 

Grim  cross  the  dying  Christ  did  hold? 

A  garden  near  the  cross,  and  there 

A  sepulchre !     Light  barred  with  gloom  ; 

Amid  the  glory  rare  and  fair 

Of  blcora  and  beauty,  there  a  tomb  ! 

But  never  yet  had  weary  feet 

Oi  sorrow  come,  with  muffled  tread, 
Thither,  to  crush  the  blossoms  sweet, 

As  they  brought  in  their  loved  and  dead. 

Nor  would  they,  till  they  came  to  bring, 
With  tear  and  moan  and  smothered  wail. 

The  body  of  the  murdered  King 
Beneath  the  paschal  moonlight  pale. 

'Twas  meet  that  in  a  garden  bright 

With  blooms  the  Champion's  tomb  should  be. 

To  sleep  away  the  short,  still  night, 
And  wake  in  immortality. 

And  meet  for  Him  to   wake  'mid  flowers, 

When  angels  rolled  the  stone  away. 
Where  dew-drops,  fallen  in  lavish  showers, 

Like  lustrous  jewels  paved  His  way. 

'Tis  well  for  weary  head  to  sleep 

On  the  same  pillow  where  He  lay, 
AVhile  heaven  its  vigil  sure  doth  keep, 

And  ere  long  is  the  break  of  day. 

And  love  may  make  a  garden  round 
The  place  where  sleep  its  own  and  His ; 

Angeh  patrol  the  holy  ground. 
And  Christ  the  Resurrection  is." 

—  Sunday  School  TimeS' 


CHAPTER  XVIir. 
Angels  Will  OQaPshal  the  I^isen  Dead. 


"And  now  the  trump,  of  wondrous  melody, 
By  man  or  angel  never  heard  before, 
Sounded  with  mighty  tones,  and  the  march  began ; 
Not  swift  as  cavalcade,  or  battle  bent, 
But  as  became  procession  of  a  King." 

Wondrous  resurrection  clay  !  Great  climax  of  the 
pregnant  ag$3 !  Emancipation  day  for  deatli-im- 
prisoned  saints !  Glorious  translation  day  for  the 
living  church  !  Grand  field-day  of  the  holy  angels  ! 
Commotion  vast,  awful,  glorious !  None  will  be 
indifferent,  none  silent,  none  mere  observers  of  the 
imposing  scenes.  Heaven  and  earth  will  pulsate 
with  the  grandeur  of  the  hour — grandeur  never  seen 
before  ;  to  be  repeated  never.  The  living  aglow 
with  expectation  of  the  promised  change  from  dull 
mortality  to  life,  abundant,  eternal,  in  the  twink- 
ling of  an  eye,  at  the  sounding  of  the  trump.  The 
resurrected  dead  in  rapt  amazement  stand ;  and 
every  angel,  in  full  panoply  of  heaven,  is  alert  for 
duty — waiting  the  orders  of  the  King. 

"And  he  shall  send  his  angels  with  a  great  sound 
of  a  trumpet,  and  they  shall  gather  together  his 
elect  from  the  four  winds,  from  one  end  of  heaven 
to  the  other."     Matt.  24  :  31. 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  169 

The  august  scene  will  be  marred  by  no  confusion. 
Order  will  reign  supreme.  The  quickened  dead  and 
changed  living  will  throng  all  shores  and  vales  and 
mountain-sides ;  a  multitude  vast,  innumerable ; 
standing  in  serried  ranks  among  their  empty  graves, 
when,  lo  !  a  trumpet  blast,  great  and  strong,  yet 
not  as  battle  summons,  but  melodious  and  tender- 
toned,  presaging  joy  and  bliss,  will  roll  its  numbers 
forth,  heard  to  creation's  farthest  bounds ;  and 
swifter  than  speed  of  lightning,  the  angels  will  go 
forth  to  marshal  the  elect.  The  angels,  or  perhaps  a 
selected  number  of  them,  will  be  the  field-marshals 
of  the  day.  Into  willing  custody  they  will  take  the 
vast,  numberless  throng  ;  and,  obedient  to  their  far- 
reaching  voices,  the  immense  world-scattered  mass 
will  be  '"-gathered  together'"  preparatory  to  their  tri- 
umphal ascension  to  "meet  the  Lord  in  the  air." 
The  kingdom  not  being  set  up,  and  the  metropolis 
not  having  descended,  the  immortal  hosts  will  be 
escorted  to  the  chambers  of  omnipotence  for  safety 
"till  the  indignation  be  overpast." 

"For  the  Lord  himself  shall  descend  from  heaven 
with  a  shout,  with  the  voice  of  the  archangel,  and 
with  the  trump  of  God  :  and  the  dead  in  Christ 
shall  rise  first :  then  we  which  are  alive  and  remain 
shall  be  caught  up  together  with  them  in  the  clouds, 
to  meet  the  Lord  in  the  air."     1  Thess.  4  :  lG-17. 

The  angels  will  marshal  the  immense  company, 
putting  them  in  order, — "every  man  in  his  own  or- 
der," troop,  band,  company.  With  unerring  skill 
they  will  find  and  gather  all  the  risen  ones.  None, 
however   small   or   obscure,   will   be   missed.     Not 


170  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS 

only  from  the  great  centers  of  martyrdom,  where 
the  battle  fiercest  raged,  and  where  the  slain  wit- 
nesses will  rise  in  vast  numbers,  but  from  the  re- 
motest corner  where  fought  and  fell  a  single  soldier 
of  the  Lamb,  will  the  vigilant  marshals  bring  in  the 
heirs  of  bliss.  The  divine  order  runs  for  "/</s  electa 
from  the  four  winds  of  heaven.''  "The  reapers  are 
the  angels/'  And  they  will  bring  every  sheaf. 
None  so  humble  in  birth  or  station,  none  so  lonely 
and  unknown  of  men  that  the  reapers  of  the  Lord 
will  fail  to  gather  them  in.  Were  a  single  saint, 
whose  name  is  on  the  scroll  of  life,  missing  from 
the  "numberless  hosts,"  the  angelic  reapers  would 
glean  the  earth  and  seas  till  they  should  find  the 
missing  jewel,  and  bear  it  in  their  bosoms  with 
shout  and  song  to  the  royal  place  purchased  for  it 
by  the  Saviour's  blood.  Many  a  child  will  come 
without  its  parents ;  and  many  a  "wa?/,"  who  buf- 
feted the  cold  world  alone,  and  died  without  a 
friend  on  earth ;  but  not  one  will  be  left  behind. 
Should  the  seraphic  harvesters  overlook  the  weak- 
est child  of  God  that  ever  lived  and  wept  and  died, 
they  would  be  remanded  to  the  search,  from  pole  to 
pole ;  nor  would  the  grand  translation  order  be 
given  till  the  shining  ranks  were  full.  Should  an 
infant  of  days  be  deemed  not  worth  the  gathering, 
the  recreant  angel  would  be  deposed  from  the  royal 
staff,  and  a  special  convoy  would  be  despatched  to 
bring  the  tiny  immortal  in. 

The  holy  angels  will  gather  the  ransomed  from 
the  four  winds,  from  one  end  of  the  heavens  to  the 
other  ;  but  they  cannot  translate  them.     The  voice  of 


IN  FIELDS  OF  REVELATION.  171 

him  whose  descending  shout  raised  them  from  the 
dead  must  proclaim  their  rapture.  But  we  may  be- 
lieve that  the  entire  ^Hivelve  legions''  will  form  a 
grand  escort  to  the  ascending  saints. 

O  magnificent  sight !  Resplendent  pageant !  Ad- 
miration of  Christ  the  Rausomer  and  King,  and  of 
God  the  Father  who  sent  him  to  conquer  and  re- 
deem !  The  loyal  sons  of  glory  proudly  leading  up 
the  rejoicing  heavens  the  trophies  of  their  Master's 
blood  and  victory  !  Honored  to  present  the  all-glo- 
rious bride  to  her  waiting  Lord  !  They  had  oft  un- 
sheathed their  invincible  swords  in  her  defence, 
turning  the  victory  on  Zion's  side,  in  many  a  hard- 
fought  field.  And  now,  to  right  and  left  they  stand, 
with  lifted  helmets,  chanting  triumphant  strains,  as 
the  Prince  of  life  welcomes  the  sharers  of  his  glory. 

This  done,  and  the  last  sweet  offices,  of  love  and 
power,  in  the  ministry  of  the  holy  angels,  are  fin- 
ished. Here  their  glowing  foot-prints^  so  grandly 
visible  through  the  earthly  sojourn  of  the  faithful 
bride,  melt  radiantly  away  into  the  glories  and  bliss 
which  follow. 

The  numberless  subjects  of  their  guardian  skill 
and  prowess  safely  sheltered  beneath  the  shield  of 
their  Lord  and  King,  what  part  the  angels  shall  bear 
through  the  immortal  years,  will  be  as  sharers  in 
the  honor  of  the  common  Lord,  participants  in  the 
songs,  and  joys,  and  adorations  which  shall  delight 
the  saved  nation,  and  gladden  the  Tlirone ;  content, 
as  they  shall  witness  the  bliss  of  the  crowned  mil- 
lions, to  know  how  tenderly  and  faithfully  they 
ministered  to  them  in  their  tearful  and  perilous  pil- 


172  FOOT-PRINTS  OF  ANGELS. 

grimage  through  the  wilderness  of  earth  ;  adding  by 
way  of  dear  remembrance,  some  lofty  refrains  to 
their  anthems  of  unceasing  gladness. 

•'But  now  at  the  outermost  gate 
Of  the  City  Celestial  tliey  wait, 

With  their  feet  on  the  ladder  of  light, 
That,  crowded  with  angels  unnumbered 
By  Jacob  was  seen,  as  he  slumbered 

Alone  in  the  desert  at  night. 

And  from  spirits  on  earth  that  adore, 
From  the  souls  that  entreat  and  implore 

In  the  fervor  and  passion  of  prayer ; 
From  the  hearts  that  are  broken  with  losses, 
And  weary  with  dragging  the  crosses 

Too  heavy  for  mortals  to  bear ; — 

They  gather  the  prayers  as  they  stand. 
And  they  change  into  flowers  in  their  hands, 

Into  garlands  of  purple  and  red  ; 
And  beneath  the  great  arch  of  the  portal, 
Through  the  streets  of  the  city  immortal 

Is  wafted  the  fragrance  they  shed." 


A  VERT  INTERESTING  AND  INSTRUCTIVE  BOOK: 

OUR     HOPE: 

OB 

WHY  ARE  Vv^K  ADVENTISTS? 

BT 

E.  A.  STOCKMAN, 

Editor  op  Thb  World's  Crisis. 


TESTIN10NIA.LS  : 

Eld.  E.  M.  Andrews  writes  :  "The  book  entitled  Our  Hope,  or  Why 
are  we  Adventists?  has  long  been  needed  by  the  church  and  world. 
Every  true  Christian  ought  to  have  one  to  read;  every  Adventist  ought 
to  have  one  to  lend  to  his  Baptist  neighbor,  to  his  Orthodox  friend,  to  his 
Methodist  associate  in  business.  No  honest  seeker  for  truth  can  read 
it  without  being  benefited." 

Eld.  D.  T.  Taylor  writes  :  "A  pleasant  and  profitable  volume  indeed. 
Sweet  spirited,  eloquently  written,  charming  and  logical.  It  meets  a  felt 
need  in  our  literature.  Take  pains  to  circulate  it.  Put  them  in  Sunday 
Schools.  Put  them  in  public  libraries.  Give  the  book  to  the  sick,  it 
will  comfort  them.  Place  it  in  the  hands  of  ministers.  Wherever  it 
goes  it  will  silentij'  proclaim  Jesus'  coming,  and  this  is  what  Adventists 
are  raised  up  to  do." 

Eld.  Henry  Pollard  writes :  "It  is  unquestionably  a  valuable 
work  much  needed  at  the  present  time.  Ably,  eloquently  and  kindly 
written, neatly  printed  and  beautifully  bound,  it  is  admirably  adapted  to 
first  attract  the  eye,  then  win  the  heart,  and  finally  capture  the  judgment 
of  the  reader.    Of  such  books  we  cannot  have  too  many." 

Rev.  H.  Constable,  England,  after  giving  a  lengthy  review  in  The 
Rainbow,  says :  "We  have  read  Mr.  Stockman's  work  with  great  pleas- 
ure. Of  the  general  correctness  of  hie  argument  we  have  no  doubt.  We 
cordially  recommend  it  to  the  readers  of  the  Rainbow. 

Hiram  Munger  says :  "It  is  a  condensed  production  of  our  whole 
faith,  backed  up  by  scripture  on  every  point  sufficiently  to  convince  all 
that  want  to  be  convinced.  If  I  was  traveling  as  formerly  I  could  sell  a 
thousand  in  one  year.  I  can  recommend  it  as  the  einbodiment  of  all  I 
ever  preached  on  our  hope.  One  brother  said  he  would  not  take  twenty- 
five  dollars  for  his  copy  if  he  could  not  get  another.  Buy  it,  read  it,  and 
lend  it  to  your  neighbors  to  read. 

Geo.  Huntly  writes  :  "I  have  read  Our  Hope,  and  I  think  it  is  the 
best  book  I  have  ever  read.  Had  I  means  I  would  have  it  translated 
into  every  language  and  sent  to  all  parte  of  the  earth.'' 

J.  T.  AULD  writes  :  "I  cannot  express  my  thankfulness  in  any  other 
way  than  just  to  thank  God  for  the  book,  and  you  for  bringing  it  out 
and  publishing  it." 

PUBLISHED  AND  FOR  SALE  BY  THE 

ADVENT  CHRISTIAN  PUBLICATION  SOCIETY, 
144  Hanover  Street,  Boston,  Mass. 


236 pp.     Cloth;  60  cents  each,  f  6.00  per  dozen. 


Date  Due                        1 

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